StarCrossed
by wildhorses1492
Summary: What if Caspian had said six little words, what might Susan have done? Peter was thirty years old when he left Narnia the first time, what might he have left behind? The four Pevensies left Narnia the first time much changed. A "Star Crossed" romance story. Set at the end of Prince Caspian, **Movie Version**
1. More Than Anything

**Chapter 1; More Than Anything.**

**~Narnia~**

"_**Don't watch her walk away. Don't. Just don't look at her and you'll be fine. Wait, she's coming back?"**_

"_Why did I do that? I've no chance of ever coming back. I should not be leaving any __**hope **__of ever coming back. Caspian, just ask me to stay; I would if only you'd ask. If I meant anything to you at all, you'd say those words." _

"_**Would it be wrong of me to declare that I love her? Or will it be wrong of me to let her go?"**_

{~~~~~~~~~~~~}

"Susan, stay with me, I love you!"

She turned back to look at me and hesitantly smiled, glancing back at her brother. Peter was looking at Aslan, as was I, wondering what his response would be. He looked from me to Susan and back again.

"Is this what you want, Daughter of Eve, Son of Adam?" Aslan asked calmly, looking at the two.

"Yes! C-could I Aslan?" Susan asked, looking at Caspian.

"Is it something you truly want? More than your life back home?" Aslan asked, looking Susan directly in the eyes.

"More than anything I've ever wanted before." Susan replied confidently.

"You are sure of your choice? This is not a matter to decide on a whim Daughter."

Aslan said carefully, wanting to make sure that Susan knew this would be a life altering decision to stay in Narnia forever.

Without her brothers and sister.

Aslan looked over at Peter, Edmund and Lucy.

"Will this be alright for you, children?" Aslan asked, looking at them with what could be called concern on his regal face.

"I-I think so Aslan." Lucy responded looking confused.

"What would happen to us back home Aslan, wouldn't it seem odd that there were four of us and then suddenly three?" Edmund asked sensibly.

"I could make it be as though Susan never was; only you would remember her, as you remember Narnia when you are in your world." Aslan replied.

"Susan, is this what you really want, to stay here, with him?" Peter asked, looking from her to Caspian.

What he wasn't saying was that he didn't know what he would do without her. His sister was his balance, his stability, if she was gone, what would happen to him? What would happen to _any _of them without her? Their gentle sister first, Gentle Queen second.

"Peter, I want to stay. Please let me. I love all of you. But I also love Caspian, and he loves me. What if I never find that kind of love back home? Our lives are too short to waste on chances or maybes Peter. I think I know what I'm doing." Susan told her older brother with a smile.

"Alright, but I'll miss you Su. I just hope that this shall make you happy, as your brother I deserve the knowledge of your happiness." Peter said, hugging her as he spoke. She returned it, tears falling from her blue eyes.

Edmund wasn't as concerned, knowing he and Lucy were going to come back, but he worried for his older brother. Peter had lost an entire kingdom, and his family in the previous Narnia departure, now he was to lose the whole Narnian world and the one person who had kept him positive during those dark days when the pain was unbearable.

This thought worried at his conscience. But he smiled at Susan anyway when she came to him.

"Please no tears sister, I'll be coming back someday, perhaps I'll see you again. If not, wait for me in Aslan's country." Edmund said good-naturedly.

"Your right Ed, but I'll miss all of you! I'll think of you often though, do the same for me perhaps?" Susan said wiping her tears from her face and smiling at him.

"Sure Su, whatever you like." Edmund said grinning. Susan came and knelt down in front of Lucy, her youngest sister stared at her with worry and confusion in her golden-brown eyes.

"_Oh!"_ She cried, and flung her arms around Susan's neck.

"I shall miss you so!" She whispered tearfully into Susan's ear.

"Don't cry dear Lucy, I fear that if you cry, I shall too. We _will _see one another again someday, I know it!" Susan whispered back.

Lucy loosed her arms from around Susan's neck and looked at her.

"You really think so?"

"Oh, I know so! Aslan will bring us all together somehow." Susan replied, raising the little girl's spirits.

Lucy smiled. "Well, I guess it will be alright then. Peter will grouch for weeks after this about how we all should've stayed though!" Lucy said giggling.

"Alright, enough of that, and I do not grouch!" Peter said smiling as he took Lucy's hand.

Caspian had been silent throughout these interactions, wondering if what he'd done was right. Perhaps he should tell Susan to go with her siblings after all. He was startled when Aslan spoke to him saying;

"Son of Adam, no choice is the wrong one, unless made with dark and selfish intentions. You have made this choice with neither. Do not regret what you cannot change."

Caspian looked at the great lion with some skepticism. He'd already made enough problems for the Pevensies, was he just making another?

Susan stood after saying her farewells. She looked over at Caspian and smiled, this was where she belonged. She went to stand next to him as her brothers and sister entered Aslan's door.

"You can still go." Caspian said, looking down at Susan.

"I don't want to; I want to stay here-with you."

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

**~The Train Station~**

The three Pevensie siblings looked at one another.

They were back.

Peter looked down at the platform as students started for the train that had just pulled in. He ignored the boys who had started the fight twenty minutes - or was it a lifetime ago? As they walked past him shoving and pushing, but he was smiling sadly, with a small bit of amusement.

Aslan had made it be as though Susan never was, to be sure, the boy who had been talking to Susan walked right past them, not even acknowledging them. But Aslan had forgotten Susan's things; they were still next to his under the bench.

He bent down and opened her purse, reaching to the bottom, where she said it would be.

He pulled out a silver heart-shaped locket, about as big as a silver dollar. It swung like a pendulum on its sterling silver chain. A swirly 'A' was engraved on it, among twisting twining branches engraved on it as well. Sixteen emeralds gleamed in the lighting. It was the beautiful wrought work of Narnian dwarves. Peter smiled.

"Hurry up Pete, we'll miss it!" Edmund shouted as he and Lucy scrambled to get their cases and bags on the train. It was only after they had boarded, that Edmund noticed the silver necklace Peter was holding.

"Susan kept it?" He queried.

"Yes, I asked her to. The one thing Aslan let me take out of Narnia, the _first_ time." Peter said softly.

Edmund looked grim. He watched as Peter stared out the window at the scenery that the train rolled speedingly by.

"_For the love of all that's good and true in Narnia, Aslan, don't let him go back to those memories!"_

Edmund thought as the train rolled forward on her tracks, closer to their new destination, but further from the house where all their adventures had started.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

_**The breeze was gentle on his face, and the air smelled of summer, the young man looked around him. Narnia in summer, the most wonderful time of year, he thought. Suddenly he heard someone calling his name… **_

"_**Peter…Peter?"**_

_**He looked up, a young woman with hair the color of honey was walking toward him, two children on either side of her, and she was beseeching him to come. **_

"_**Peter, come home! Oh, please come home! I can't rule on my own, and they need their father! Darling come home…"**_

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

Peter woke abruptly. He was sweaty and shaking from his horrible nightmare. He looked around the darkened dorm room, hoping he hadn't wakened Ed.

"Pete, you had that dream again, didn't you?" Edmund asked from beside his bed, causing Peter to jump in surprise. He looked up at his brother and nodded, ready to admit defeat, tired of sleepless nights and ceaseless remembering's.

"The one with Amalia in it?" Ed asked hesitantly.

"Yes." Peter replied sighing.

"Ed, I'm lost, I don't know what to do!" Peter exclaimed, putting his head in his hands. Edmund sighed, too bad Susan wasn't here, she'd have solved this. He looked out the window and up at the starlit sky. Being the sensible sibling was Peter's role, but it looked like it was his now.

"_This shall be a long year!"_

* * *

><p><strong>What do you think? Peter's got something bothering him, that's for sure! Perhaps I'll go deeper into that, perhaps not... lol. <strong>

**My sister and I were watching Disney's Prince Caspian, and she was saying that right there before Susan went through the door, if Caspian had just asked her to stay, and told her that he loved her, she probably would've. So, this is based on that. Hoped you liked it! ~ W.H.1492 **


	2. So Close, Yet Worlds Away

**Chapter 2; Worlds Apart, Yet So Close.**

**~Narnia~**

"What made you ask me to stay?" Susan asked Caspian as they danced in the square that evening.

"I thought about never seeing you again, I had to know if your love was as mine is. I didn't want to lose you and never get the chance to ask."

"And do you know?" Susan queried, looking down briefly, and then looking back at him.

"I believe I do. Though, I can't be sure." Caspian replied smiling.

"What might change that?" She asked, smiling as well.

"This might." He said, tilting her head up and drawing her closer as he kissed her. She looked up at him after they parted and whispered;

"I'm very glad I stayed." He laughed in response and picked her up and twirled her around before setting her back on the ground again. He had lost his family, and his new friends, but he hadn't lost the one person dearest to his heart.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

Several days later, Caspian, Susan, Trumpkin, Trufflehunter, Reepicheep and some select Narnians had traveled to the ruins of Cair Paravel; Susan wanted to see how much of the trappings the ancient Narnians had put in the ***Treasure room**. She was also hoping to find something that she wanted for her upcoming wedding as well.

**(*The room where the chests that belonged to the four kings and queens had been housed.) **

As she was dragging a toppled suit of armor aside, she noticed a door behind it; it was small, but just wide enough to let one person in at a time. She pulled at the heavy wrought-iron handle; it refused to budge an inch. Then, in the sunlight filtering in from the broken roof, she saw something glitter on the floor at her feet.

She bent down and picked up a small gold key, delicately crafted, with Peter's unicorn symbol on the bow. She looked the door over, and finally found the lock; it was just under the handle. She lifted the handle and inserted the key into the lock. When she tried the door again, it pulled open without a sound.

She stepped into a dark room, from the sound of her boots on the stones; she could tell it wasn't small. She peered into the gloom; she saw several large squares and rectangles on one of the far walls, covered in thick materials of some sort. There were several other items, but she was more interested in those covered squares.

"Caspian, come here!"

"What are they?" He asked, holding his torch aloft so they could see the interior of the room more clearly.

"I'm not certain, but I have a vague idea." Susan answered, going over to the closest square. She tried to pull the heavy canvass off, but she wasn't strong enough to pull it off the huge 6x4ft frame.

"Wait, Susan, let me do that, try to get the smaller one." Caspian requested as he put the torch into a bracket on the wall.

He moved to where she had been standing, and pulled the dark fabric off the wooden frame.

A beautiful woman with regal bearing stared back at him from the painted canvas. She had hair the color of honey. It was put up in a flattering style from the Golden Age. Her dress was the color of the sky, with silver accents. A delicately wrought golden circlet rested on her head. It had leaves and rosebuds on it; it looked like a simple wreath of golden flowers.

"Who is she?" Caspian asked, glancing at Susan as he spoke.

"I can't believe it… after all these years." Susan whispered.

"Susan, Who_ is_ she?" He asked again.

"That's Peter's queen, Amalia."

Caspian turned to look at Susan, confusion marring his features.

"I did not know that he was married."

Susan didn't answer; instead she turned back to the other covered paintings.

"Caspian, help me with these too." She said almost in a frantic tone, pulling on another blanket.

He walked over and they started removing them together. As they removed an especially heavy one he asked;

"Susan, I would like to know more about this 'Queen Amalia' please, stop for a moment and tell me."

She stopped, tears coming to her eyes as they fell on the portrait she and Caspian had most recently uncovered. It was one of a family, she noticed an adult Peter standing behind a sitting Amalia, a little boy of about seven standing beside his mother's chair, and Amalia holding a little girl of about two.

She turned to face him, but caught site of the small painting he had uncovered. There was a box behind it, made of a dark Maplewood. She ran over to it and lifted the lid.

"Susan, what's that?" Caspian asked, sitting next to her.

"I don't know, I'm hoping it's a catalogue of the paintings here. Yes! It is, perhaps now we shall find out who this young man is."

She exclaimed, motioning to another of the portraits, this one with a handsome young blonde man in it. He was wearing Peter's blue and silver colors, but the chain around his neck had a lion on it unlike Peter's unicorn.

Susan and Caspian read eagerly, hoping to discover the identity of the boy.

"_**The year of our Lord, King Lucian the Brave."**_

_**We, the Last Narnians, are hiding the portraits of our beloved Kings and Queens here, in this underground ante chamber, in hopes that they will never fall into the wrong hands. Our merciful and just King, Lucian the Brave, and our kind Princess Lilianna the Fair, have fallen in battle to-day. We shall rest in our graves easier knowing that these last relics of theirs remain a truth to the nobility of all Narnia! **_

_**Narnia and Aslan forever!**_

_**The Portraits are listed as follows:**_

_**The son of the High King, Peter the Magnificent; Lucian the Brave, He is dressed in silver and blue, wearing a crown of gold. His portrait is marked as "1".**_

_**The portrait of High King Peter the Magnificent, marked as, "2"**_

_**The portrait of our Queen, Amalia of the Meadow, High King Peter's wife, marked "3".**_

_**The portrait of Princess Lilianna the Fair, marked "4"**_

_**The portrait of High Queen Susan the Gentle, marked as "5"**_

_**The portrait of Queen Lucy the Valiant, marked as "6"**_

_**The portrait of King Edmund the Just, marked as "7"**_

_**The portrait of Our Royal Family, marked as "8"**_

_**The portrait of Our four Kings and Queens of Narnia marked, as "9"**_

And the list went on giving the names and number of twenty-eight paintings in all. It was signed by Tumnus the faun. Susan let her tears fall as she traced the faun's lovely hand writing.

She smiled through her tears as she noticed how the portraits were listed as present ruler, to family paintings. She wondered how far back in the canvases the portrait of all of the Pevensies together was. Suddenly she remembered that Caspian didn't know _who_ Amalia was.

"I'm sorry, you wanted to know about Amalia, and I never answered that question." Susan said, wiping her eyes.

"If it causes you distress, you needn't feel obligated to tell me." Caspian replied.

"No, it's not that, it was memories, and visions of what that last Narnian battle must have looked like."

"This might be a long story, would you mind?" She queried, looking at him nervously.

"No."

"Well, we had been ruling Narnia for about nine years, all was going well, Peter and I, Ed and Lucy included, were in great favor with our subjects. We were celebrating at a spring festival in one of the villages, when Peter met her. Amalia."

"Dancing in the square,

She was a princess from Galma, or Teribinthia, I can't remember now, but was being raised by a Narnian, a Lord Maranon, she had been removed when war threatened her country, her parents killed in the rebellion that soon followed we were told. She was about seventeen."

"She wore a wreath of rosebuds and mint leaves in her hair, and dressed in blues the color of a summer sky. Peter became infatuated with her. She returned that love. He would spend hours at a time with her."

"For a time we, I mean myself, Ed, and Lucy, were angry at him. How could he love, and want to marry, someone when we didn't even know what royal blood they came from? We and several of our advisors were mostly angered at the age difference. Peter was twenty-two; she was seventeen, which was unacceptable for us!" Susan said, smiling at the memory.

"Her favorite hair adornment was a wreath of flowers, as I described. Well, after about two years of courting, Peter asked her if she would like a wreath of golden roses to wear as a crown instead. As you can guess, she said yes."

"They had a beautiful wedding, it was outside, she and Peter wanted it that way. After that, we started to think that perhaps his interest in her had been to gain heirs, which was untrue. They were still acting like romantic lovers long after they married and Prince Lucian was born."

"You know, out of all my life with him, I think when he met Amalia, Peter was most happy. Lucian was seven when Princess Lilianna was born. It was in the sixteenth year of our reign that Peter gave Amalia a necklace with a silver locket hung on it."

"And then…" Susan sighed, and paused for a moment as if gathering strength to tell the last bit of her tale.

"And then, we fell through the wardrobe. Amalia had given her locket to Peter that day, I think she said she wanted him to have it in case we were long in coming back from hunting after the white stag. Of all the Narnian things we lost that day, Peter still had that necklace in his pocket."

"And that is the love story of Peter the Magnificent and Amalia of the Meadow." Susan said finally.

"I never thought…" Caspian trailed off, wondering what Peter had been thinking when he came back to this much-changed Narnia.

"Caspian, I'd like to have as many of these portraits as possible removed and taken back to the castle today, if you don't mind that is." Susan said, watching Caspian carefully.

"I don't see why we can't arrange something. I'll go get the Narnians." Caspian said, standing to leave. Before going he helped Susan to her feet as well.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

**~England, Hendon House~**

Peter sat in his English Lit. Class, not really paying much mind to anything, instead he was thinking about Narnia, it had been three weeks since they'd left.

"Why do you think Shakespeare wrote all those tragic romances, bad experiences perhaps? Was he just writing for entertainment, what do you think? Mr. Pevensie, you look like you're paying attention, what is your theory?" Mr. Grummond, his teacher asked.

"What? What was the question?" Peter asked.

"Shakespeare, his romantic tragedy theatrics." Mr. Grummond repeated, amidst sniggering and whispers from the class.

"I believe he was writing for real life. Lovers don't all have happy endings, reality comes into play. I think he was writing for plays, but also as a warning to be careful with the time you have, you never know when it shall be cut short."

His teacher stared at him for several seconds. That had been deeper than he was expecting.

"Thank-you Mr. Pevensie. Class dismissed, remember tomorrow there shall be a quiz on "Shakespeare and How He Enlightened the Ages"." The class groaned as they picked up their book bags.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~}

"Well, how was your day Pete? Mine was pretty fare I'd say." Edmund said, trying to make conversation. He and Peter were in their room, Edmund studying, Peter lying on his bed.

"Fare. Just fare." Peter replied absentmindedly, staring at the locket that was dangling from his hand.

"You've got to stop thinking of her Peter! You need to move on. Every time you think of her you get depressed. I know you miss her, but why don't you just remember her fondly?" Edmund said, trying desperately to get his older brother out of his slump.

"I suppose you're right, but…You just don't understand Ed!" Peter exclaimed standing and grabbing his coat before walking to the door.

"Where are you going? It's late." Edmund asked.

"Out for a walk, perhaps it will cure me of my misery." Peter said sarcastically.

Edmund sighed as Peter closed the door. He turned back to his work. This would be a long night waiting up for his brother.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

**~Narnia~**

"Caspian, come here, I'd like you to see something! I also want your opinion." Susan said excitedly as she dragged Caspian through several corridors.

"It appears I have no choice in the matter." Caspian replied when Susan finally stopped in front of several of the canvases they had brought from Cair Paravel today.

"Well, what do you think?" She asked, motioning to a painting on her left.

It was a portrait of Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, ten years after they had become rulers of Narnia.

Susan was in a forest-green dress, her silver circlet crown accented by the silver showing through the dress skirt and sleeves. Her bow and arrow gifts leaning against her chair, silver chain with her unique symbol of a sun around her neck, and her long black hair fell to the floor in a beautiful Narnian style.

Peter was wearing his blue and silver colors, and brown riding boots that went to his knees, his sword Rhindon at his side. His gold crown was accented by the chain he wore around his neck, his unicorn head symbol as the medallion.

Edmund was dressed in red and gold, Narnia's colors. His long black hair made his silver crown stand out clearly. Edmund had two swords, one he was holding called Carindon, the other, named Mrindon, in its sheath at his side, as he had mastered Jadis's talent of using two at once. He was wearing a silver chain with his griffon symbol on it.

Lucy was wearing a dress that was orang-gold in color. Her long brown-blonde hair fell to her waist, but was back in two neat braids, (as this was easier to work with when one was in battle). Her gold circlet nearly matched the color of her dress. The gold chain she wore around her neck had the head of a lioness roaring on the medallion.

"I think you all look noble, and very much like rulers of Narnia are supposed to look."

"Why do all of you wear chains with different symbols on them? I thought the Narnian symbol was a lion." Caspian asked, looking slightly confused.

"Well, there were four of us, and if we wanted to issue and edict or some other important document, the receiver couldn't tell which one of us sent it. So we commissioned the dwarves to make us each a symbol as we requested it to look. And they did." Susan said by way of explanation.

"We had our own flags and things with our symbols on it, but the red and gold flag with the lion on it was still the acclaimed Narnian flag." She finished.

"Fascinating, I never knew that. Though, now I know why Ed loved the griffons so much." Caspian said with a smile.

He stepped closer to the painting and looked at them all. They looked so _assured_, _confident_ to be ruling. Unlike him. He felt as if he wasn't ready for any of this. They had all been _younger_ than he was now when they started to rule.

"I still have another that I want you to see, so don't get too carried away with that one." Susan said, motioning to another portrait on her right.

It was one of her, three years into their rule, she looked about as she did now, except for the length of her hair. In the picture it was about a little shorter than waist-length. She watched Caspian's expression, but couldn't tell what he was thinking. Then, suddenly, he spoke.

"You look beautiful. Why hadn't you married?" He asked, looking at her.

Susan was startled by the question. No one had ever asked her that particular one before. But she knew the answer to it all the same.

"Because of all the men who asked for my hand, I never felt as if they were _right _for me. That all they cared about was that I was a rich beautiful queen. Like I was some sort of prize to be won. If that makes any sense." She finished hurriedly, feeling self-conscious.

Caspian looked at her, then back at the painting, then back at her again before answering.

"I believe I know what you mean." He said finally.

{~~~~~~~~~}

Later that evening, Caspian and Susan were standing out on a balcony, looking at the stars. He had his arm around her waist and she had her head on his shoulder, looking up.

"I feel so close to them, and yet their worlds away." Susan said softly.

"You mean your siblings?" Caspian queried.

"Yes."

"You know, when I was a boy, I used to look up at the stars and dream of following them to the end of the world. And finding my father there. I understand what you mean. You feel as if it's so very simple to reach them, but don't have enough of the keys to unlock the way."

"Yes." Susan said in agreement. She sighed in contentment and leaned into him more.

"We should most likely go in," Caspian said after a while, "We have another long day ahead of us."

"Just a moment longer Caspian, the stars shine so brightly for us tonight." Susan said, walking to the railing of the balcony and looking up at the night sky with the millions of constellations in it.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~England, Hendon House school area~**

Peter looked up at the English night sky, wondering what Susan was doing at this moment, was it day or night in Narnia right now? Was she also looking at the stars as she had loved to do when they had been rulers of that world? He sighed. He was nevermore to feel a Narnian breeze on his face, never feel the terror and thrill of going into battle, never to ride a horse into battle as the leader. Nevermore to face a winter, and thank Aslan that they had rid Narnia of eternal winter.

"What is this life if it's without Aslan and Narnia?" He asked the cool evening air.

He looked to his right and saw a small church. He remembered what Aslan had told him and Susan.

"_In your world, I have another name; you must learn to know me by it."_ What if…? No never. But why not, he thought. What have I got to lose? And he took a step toward the church. When he opened the door, he was met with this sense of, Aslan, this regal feeling; he didn't know how to describe it. It wasn't Narnia, the king knew he could never expect that, but it was…peaceful. His Narnian soul had found rest.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

**~Narnia~**

Susan had been here for over six months. And it was finally her wedding day! She was nervous and excited, but sad that her family couldn't be there to see her. The leaves were just starting to turn gold and orange, reminding her of a hunt in the forest that ended in a wardrobe, many years ago. She hadn't expected to find a chest of Amalia's wedding things in that hidden room, but when she did she wanted to use them, as that would mean that she wouldn't have to spend months making another one. She was also pleased that they weren't faded and yellowed like most white fabrics do with age. Her dress was long, with billowing angel bell sleeves. It had a lettuce leaf edge on the hem, making it curl slightly. It had a short train, but she didn't mind. She stood in front of her dressing room mirror, fixing her hair with a young Telmarine woman's help.

She had curled her hair and put it up in a loose bun at the back of her neck, a few curly tendrils framing her face.

"What do you think?" She asked the young woman, named Marta after she had put her veil on.

"I think you look stunning!" Marta said excitedly. She and Susan had become good friends in the months that Susan had been there.

"Thank you Marta, you've been so good to me, being a stranger here, I thank you more than you can imagine!" Susan said kindly, hugging Marta.

"You need to hurry; the Bride's not supposed to be late for her own wedding!" Marta exclaimed.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~}

Susan smiled up at Caspian as they strolled around the ballroom. She wondered if this wonderful feeling would ever go away, or would she be able to hold onto it forever?

"What are you thinking about?" Caspian asked, noticing her smile.

"Nothing really, just thinking how wonderful it is to be married and that you asked me to stay." She said softly, looking up at him.

"I was thinking nearly the same thing." Caspian said, drawing her closer. They stood forehead to forehead for several seconds before he kissed her.

"You are the most precious, beautiful woman, no matter what century or age you live in." he whispered.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Aww, they're having a moment! **

**I made up the chain they wear around their necks and the Pevensie's symbols. (None of that's real) but I figured that they must have had _something_ to tell them apart! **

**I also hope you guys got that Ed and Su wear silver, and Peter and Lu wear gold. Good? Good! (lol) **

**I hope ya'll got the spin on Lucy's lioness head medallion! Remember in Prince Caspian how Aslan told Lucy that if she was any braver she'd be a "Lioness"? well, I'm going to pretend that's what they were referring to. **

**Ed's swords, Carindon and Mrindon, I made those names up, I figured that if Peter named his sword, Ed could've too! Anyone who wants can use 'em I don't mind. I figured out that Edmund must have learned how to use 2 swords from Jadis, _because:_ **

**1. He uses 2 weapons, as did she in the first one.**

**2. He uses nearly all of her moves. watch her fight in the first one, then watch him in the second one, _very carefully_. You'll see it almost right away! **

**I coined the sword's names though. **

**Carindon means "Conqueror" **

**Mrindon means "Merciful"**

**Like, you know, "Merciful Conqueror" because Edmund is merciful and just, but he's also a conqueror. (Of him sinning against his brother, sisters, and Aslan, and in defeating the White Witch in a way. Also in defeating his fears.) **


	3. Murder, Marriage, and Mercy

**Chapter 3; Marriage, Murder, and Mercy. **

**~England, St. Finbars School~**

_Nobody ever said it was easy. No one ever said it would be this__** hard. **__Oh, take me back to the start!_

She wanted to go back to the beginning so badly, to have all their adventures in Narnia over, but she knew she couldn't.

Lucy looked out her window at the rain. She wondered why Aslan hadn't called her back yet. It was so hard to wait! Though she knew she shouldn't get so hopeful, last time it had been a year. What if this time it were several?

"That would be awful!" She muttered to the small, cold, empty room.

But she knew that Aslan would always wait for the right time. She just had to be patient. Perhaps He'd even let her see Susan again!

"And that is just the opposite of awful." She whispered with a smile. She was once a Queen, and she would come back to her country, because she was forevermore its Queen.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

**~Narnia~**

Susan and Caspian had been married for just a day short of a week. But they were too much caught up in one another and their new life together to notice the dark clouds of traitorous deceit and hate on the golden horizon.

{~~~~~~~}

"No, no! You're standing all wrong!" Susan exclaimed laughing at Caspian.

"I'm standing just fine!" He protested.

"If you're using a crossbow yes, but you're using a longbow, which means your stance is all wrong." She said, giggling because he was looking at the way she was standing and trying to imitate it.

"Like this," She said, coming over to him, moving and re-positioning his arms.

"Feet apart, right foot in front of the left. Like this. Exactly! See, it's not nearly as hard as you think it is."

She watched as he released the arrow and it flew toward the target swiftly with a zinging sound. It landed just off the mark. She just stood there, watching him for several seconds before he looked over at her.

"That was good, very good." She said quietly.

"If you don't stop standing there, just looking beautiful, I will kiss you." He said seriously.

"I might just stand here for a moment longer." She said smiling, and pretending to look at the scenery around her.

"Fine then."

He put an arm around her waist and drew her closer. He put his hand on the side of her face; she leaned into his embrace, and looked up at him.

"How did I ever get so blessed to have you?" He whispered. She just smiled. She felt blessed to have him; she was not expecting that feeling to be reciprocal. They were both unaware of the two figures dressed in dark cloaks watching them from the terrace as he kissed her.

"He made a mistake thinking he could rule those Narnian savages." One said in a low tone.

"He made an inexcusable, fatal mistake, Lord Barnireius, when he married _her,_ that barbarian Narnian queen. Something has to be done before he ruins the people and this country with his new ideas of Narnians and Telmarines living together in peace." The second one whispered spitefully.

"How many times have I told you, we are to use no names!" The first man whispered angrily.

"It does not matter, we are alone, excusing the two on the green," the second man said, nodding to Caspian and Susan,

"Besides, he shall die, and she shall die alongside him, as a queen should."

"Don't do anything rash!"

"And don't judge me, I shall do what I think is best."

"It will be up to us to unite Calormen and Narnia. At any cost, but to lose our Monarchs will be tragic." The first man said mockingly.

"Let us go, we don't want to be seen."

They turned and walked into the castle, no one seeing them come or go. And Caspian and Susan were alone once more.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~}

"Your Majesty, we need to sign the alliance with Calormen at once! It's the best way to show how strong Narnia is!" Lord Ringor stated.

"No, you need to threaten war against them and bargain for better trade!" Lord Ponessimus shouted.

"I think you should focus on building your armada! Start our own trade routes! Forget Calormen!"

"No, he can't do that; we need Calormen on our side, for protection!" Lord Darrnon exclaimed.

"Yes!" Several others shouted.

"No, I think He should set sail for the Lone Islands to see how loyal they still are!"

Caspian just stared at the shouting and arguing Council. He was getting frustrated with all this, why couldn't they just leave him alone? Let _him_ decide what was best for his country? He was beginning to wonder if he even needed his council anymore. All they did was argue amongst each other and with him. Peter hadn't seemed to need this, did he? Caspian looked over at Susan, his face briefly showing confusion over what to do and anger at the fact that they wouldn't listen to him.

She knew what to do to get this noisy cacophony to cease.

"Gentlemen of the Council, here is what We should do! We need a Calormen merchant ambassador at once, send for one!

It is not imperative that We build up our marine protection as no one in Narnia or her surrounding countries has been to the seas in years. If Calormen wants war, We will give her a war, if not, We shall have peace!

Once Our King has the building of Cair Paravel well underway will He depart for The Islands. They can wait for a time.

Are they to be any more disputes? Very well and good, for I fear Our King is tired of our bickering."

"Remember to send for that Ambassador!" Susan called as the Lords of the Council dispersed. She had been so busy meeting the demands of the arguing Lords that she had failed to notice the three that stood silent. She turned to Caspian. He looked at her with admiration and wonder.

"How?" He asked simply, he'd never heard the Council disperse so calmly, all their issues resolved.

"Practice. A lot of it." She said, smiling.

"They have never been so content before, normally they will argue if your decisions are best." Caspian stated, sounding tired. After all the noise; the silence in the room was deafening. Caspian leaned on the arm of his chair, resting his forehead on his hand, lost in thought, wondering about many other things still to be resolved.

"You're tired, and it's late, we should get some sleep, tomorrow we have to deal with this again." Susan said, looking tired herself.

{~~~~~~~~}

An hour before dawn they were awakened by a pounding on their door. Caspian opened it to a Narnian.

"What's wrong?" He asked, noticing the urgent look on the satyr's face.

"Lord Glondal has been murdered, Your Majesty. We know not by whom, he was found at his home with a dagger in his heart, nothing more."

Caspian stood there in shock. Lord Glondal. He was the only one of their influential supporters to be in the Council. He fully supported Narnians and Telmarines living together in Narnia peacefully. And now he was dead, this was devastating news, and a crushing blow.

"Caspian, what's wrong?" Susan said from the bed, looking anxiously in his direction. She got up and put on a dressing gown as she walked over to him.

"Caspian?" She asked again.

"Thank you for notifying me, assemble the Council, and rouse the Narnian advisors. I shall be with you shortly." He ordered, closing the door.

"What's happened, what are you not telling me?" She asked, becoming afraid.

He turned away from the door and looked her in the eyes.

"Lord Glondal has been murdered. We don't know why yet or by whom. But I have this feeling that it was because of his favoring my plans to unite Narnians and Telmarines."

"What, no!" Susan gasped, putting her hand over her mouth.

"I'm calling an assembly, I'd rather you'd stayed here, but if you feel you must, you can accompany me." He said calmly.

Susan had tears in her eyes, this was horrible, Caspian was trying hard to make this new version of Narnia work, and it would now be so much more difficult without support from anyone in the council. He already faced opposition on every side, what now?

"How-what, Caspian?" She said desperately, looking scared. If someone had killed a Lord, they might not have any qualms in murdering a monarch, especially one who thought as Caspian did.

"It will be fine, we'll be fine." He whispered, taking her in his arms. She sobbed into his shirtfront.

"Susan, I have to go, please, no tears, I assure you, I'll be fine."

"That's what worries me, every time someone says that they end up hurt-or dead. I can't live without you-I can't rule!" She cried.

"I can't have you go somewhere I can't follow, I need you here." As Susan spoke she realized she sounded like what Amalia must have after Peter never came back.

"I will be fine; no one will hurt anyone in this castle, as long as I have anything to say in the matter." Caspian replied firmly.

"Alright, I'll stay here then." She said, watching him go.

"I love you." He said, kissing her quickly before going down the corridor.

{~~~~~~~~}

Susan paced back and forth in the bedroom, wondering what was happening, waiting for him to come back. She had wanted to go with him, but thought it best to stay, as a Telmarine King; he could make and order issues and decisions without his queen's compliance. She was used to being in the council room with her siblings deciding what to do as a group, not having a bunch of _men_ decide if they thought you should do anything. But this was not the Golden Age, and she had to keep that in mind.

She also had her own concerns to worry about. As in, why was she getting so emotional about such small things? Yes, it was true someone had been murdered, but she normally wouldn't break down like that. She felt like she was turning into an emotional mess! Also why was she so tired all the time? She slept just fine during the night, so what was her problem?

Suddenly the door opened, she turned instantly.

"Caspian?"

"No, it's your maid, Milady." Serena, her maid, said in a calm voice.

"I've heard some disturbing news, how are you and My King dealing with this?" She asked, looking at her Queen with concern on her face.

"I don't know, Caspian's gone to meet with the Council. I don't know what will happen from there." Susan said distractedly.

"The Council, what can those men do? We should be trying to rely on what Aslan or the rulers of old would do, not mere _men_!" The dryad uttered with disgust.

"Serena, watch your tongue! I am your queen you know, whatever I hear, Caspian also hears!" Susan exclaimed in warning.

"Though, as a Queen of old, I quite agree with you." She said, smiling slightly.

"Well, Milady, I need to dress you for this new day." Serena said, reverting back to her calm demeanor.

"Serena, I need to ask you something…"

{~~~~~~~~}

The days turned into weeks which quickly turned into a month for the King and Queen, as Caspian was busy with matters of state, and Susan was busy worrying over several other things.

Meanwhile Caspian had been busy with hunting down who had killed Glondal, and trying to make peace with Calormen, but it seemed from recent reports that they were gearing for war. Trade was lousy between the two countries, and no one knew what to do about that, since this murder had happened, Calormen had been put in hold.

Which was exactly what the instigators of this plot wanted, Narnia needed a king who was firm in the Telmarine ways, and who was ready to join Calormen. Not worry about dumb talking beasts and mythological creatures.

{~~~~~~~}

"We need to remove him while everyone is distracted over this murder, then without a king to lead them, the people will look to us to make decisions for them, and one of the first will be unity with the Tisrock." Lord Ezmanth said.

"Yes."

"Yes!"

"What is your plan for the "removal" of our monarchs?"

"It shall be something our young King will remember very clearly, from the days when he was trying to overthrow his uncle." Lord Barnireius said.

"Taking the means of death from victory – I like it." Lord Verius smiled sardonically.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

**~England, Hendon House~**

Peter was better, but just slightly, he was still depressed about nevermore being able to get into Narnia again. He was starting to wonder if perhaps it was just a dream that was starting to blur. But then there were times when he knew he had been there, he had been wide awake. Of this fact he was certain, and if it _had_ been a dream, then his siblings wouldn't know about it too.

One early fall day he was walking down the street near the park when he felt a presence beside him. He turned, but nothing was there. Then suddenly the wind seemed to whisper,

"_Faith and Courage, Son of Adam, to love is to never forget, but for a time and a season it will bring pain. _

_You will always remember, never forget, Once a King of Narnia, Always a King… Tell Lucy to be patient, I shall call them in my own time, not yours. _

_Tell Edmund to be strong and never give in to the temptations of this world, or mine. Farewell Son of Adam…." _

"Aslan? Aslan! Wait, please, what of Susan and Caspian? Please to not know is to die!' Peter cried to the wind, which was now nothing more than wind.

Almost as he uttered the words he was given a picture in his mind's eye of Susan, she looked fine, yet there was something off, but he couldn't put his finger on what exactly it was that was different about her. Then he was given a picture of Caspian, he looked horrible. He was standing in a long open hall, looking out over the distance. He looked confused, and tired, and for everyone who lived with him, totally alone.

"Aslan wanted me to tell Lucy and Ed those things, I must not fail him." Peter whispered, walking back the way he had come.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

~Narnia~

It was a dark night, the full moon nearly entirely obscured by clouds. A light breeze whipped the navy curtains leading to the open balcony. When the moon did shine through, it glinted off the coat-of-arms above Susan and Caspian's bed.

The moon disappeared behind some clouds, when it finally reappeared; it glinted off another long sword, in the hands of a murderer. He walked quietly into the bedroom of the king and queen from the balcony.

"_Terrible shame to wake him, he barely gets enough sleep as it is with everything we keep him busy with." _ Lord Barnireius thought with mock sympathy as he watched the sleeping figures.

Caspian woke with a start when the flat of the sword was touched to his shoulder. He looked up at the lord with bewilderment. Susan woke feeling Caspian move, hoping it wasn't another black report. She gasped slightly when she saw Caspian at the wrong end of the blade in the lord's hands.

"What are you doing? How could you betray me!" Caspian said, raising his voice, his anger quickly overcoming his confusion.

"I thought you would remember this, sad that you forget things so easily. And keep it down, I don't want the entire household to be awoken, that would be most unfortunate, as I wouldn't have the time to enjoy your death."

"You're mad!"

"No, just tired of your lax in standards and your new ideas of unity. The other lords of the Council might waste time arguing over them, but me, I prefer to act on my own opinion. And that is; alliance with Calormen! Nothing more."

"Oh, one more thing, since you can't seem to remember, it was dark, and there was a band of Narnian barbarians attacking this castle, when someone tried to kill our last king in his bedchamber - wait, wasn't that you and that king and queen of old_, that_ queen of old?" The lord asked smiling, pretending to recall past actions.

Caspian stopped, remembering that night. He hadn't wanted to _kill _Miraz, not exactly; he had wanted some truth about what happened to his father. And Peter and Susan had been preventing him from killing that… he would not think about that right now, he had to try to figure a way out of this.

"But you forgot what happened about three minutes after, Barnireius!" Susan shouted.

Both men turned to look in her direction. While Caspian had been questioning Barnireius, Susan had removed one of the broadswords from the coat-of-arms. It was heavy, but she managed to hold it upright directly at the traitor Lord.

"Can't you recall? Lady Pruniprismia nearly killed _my_ husband. This time though, I believe I _shall_ kill you, or, rather, my husband will."

As Susan spoke, Caspian reached over for the other sword, directed the blade at his opponent's, but not before his arm was sliced. Blades glinted and flashed as Susan struck Barnireius's weapon, and then Caspian struck. Susan and Caspian eventually pushed him out to the balcony, hoping to convince him to yield once he was cornered.

But the man had other ideas. He glanced behind him to see how far down the ground was. He turned to them and smiled.

"I enjoyed this immensely, a pity you're so hard to kill. I must go; perhaps we'll meet during the battle between Narnia and Calormen, unless My King can find a way out of that." Barnireius dropped his sword and jumped over the railing. Caspian and Susan dashed to the edge, looking down.

"Do you see him?" Susan asked breathlessly.

"No, where did that traitor go?" Caspian said; his anger building.

"I don't know, how could he just disappear?" Susan said, looking at him in bewilderment.

"Caspian, you're bleeding!" She exclaimed, looking at his arm.

"I'll be fine, this happened before. Although I wasn't expecting this to ever happen again." He said, looking over his shoulder at the ground below.

"Caspian, we'll look into that later, right now you need to do something about this injury."

"How did I miss this?" He asked, looking off deep in thought.

"You were busy, trying to solve a murder, probably a murder committed by that man and his followers. We need to see if anyone else in that Council is turn-coat. Until then you need to not discuss anything with anyone, unless you absolutely trust them." Susan said, tying off his arm.

"For a moment I wondered if that was how Miraz and Pruniprismia felt." Susan laughed slightly, looking at Caspian.

"Even though he was a tyrant, that was badly handled on my part." Caspian said sheepishly.

In spite of their brush with death, the couple looked at one another and laughed, remembering that moment. Even though it hadn't a drop of mirth when it had happened, they now found it hilarious compared to their situation.

"Now we have to deal with Calormen, and a traitor." Susan said, looking off grimly into the predawn landscape.

"Don't forget the Giants in the North are starting to cause border trouble." Caspian added in annoyance.

"What? I thought they were trying to settle a peace treaty." Susan queried.

"Not anymore, I suppose." Caspian said absentmindedly, looking off at the fast lightening sky.

"Susan, did you ever think that if Narnia does go to war with these countries, your brother and sister might come back?"

"I never thought that! Oh, I'd love that…Not the going to war part, but my brother and sister coming back, what if we didn't have to wait until we got to Aslan's Country to see them again?" Susan smiled at the idea. It was eight months since she'd last seen her family, she like the idea of seeing them again.

"Milady, care to join me for an early stroll about the castle grounds?" Caspian asked, grinning as he bowed.

"I think that would be just what I need right now, yes I shall." Susan acquiesced, slipping her arm through his.

They walked off the balcony, knowing that they would have to come back to the problems, but for a short time they could forget them.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

**~England, Hendon House~**

Peter sighed, they'd been gone from Narnia for nearly three months, but it seemed like forever. He watched the sun rise, thinking of Amalia. Aslan had been right, to love meant pain, but he would never forget her, and as the days went on, he began to smile at his memories, they didn't make him so depressed. True, it was still hard at times, but he was slowly healing.

The hardest thing for him to accept was that he wasn't treated like a king here. It seemed like Susan hadn't had any problems letting go of their past in Narnia, why had it been so hard for him? Would it ever get easier, or would he always have this longing for Aslan, Amalia and his True Home?

He wondered what Amalia had gone on to do after he'd disappeared. He hoped she'd led the people until Lucian had been old enough to rule, he wondered what kind of decisions she'd made.

He thought through all these things as he watched the sun rise in the east. His siblings had never understood why he liked to think about things while he watched the sunrise.

He never told them that the sunrise was his biggest fear.

The first time he had been in Narnia, the sunrise brought news of the death of Aslan, and that he had an army that was waiting to follow _him_ into battle. That sunrise took him from being an ignorant boy, to a young man who understood that war was sometimes necessary to protect your life and freedom. Just like this war here in England with the Germans.

He had been going to that small church on the corner more often, finding that things they said and things in the bible matched quite similarly with things in Narnia. Like Aslan dying for Edmund's selfishness, and then coming back to life because he had done no wrong. In that church he felt _closer_ to Aslan in a way. That is what he truly needed.

{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}

**~England, St Finbars School~**

Lucy wondered what Susan was doing, was she enjoying her new life in Narnia? Was this new Narnia anything like the Narnia they remembered? She had so many questions that would never be answered. Ed had told her that Peter seemed, better, after he got that message from Aslan, even though it wasn't really anything, it made Lucy tingle in excitement knowing that Aslan still cared for them.

"Lucy Pevensie, come on, I don't want to be late just because you're staring out the window!" Lucy's friend Jemima Windsler called.

"I'm coming!" Lucy took one last look out the window, and then turned to gather her things before the breakfast bell rang.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

**Okay! Wow, I'm super surprised with all the Follows, Favorites and Reviews! Thank so much guys!**

**I got one really good question from a reviewer, she wanted to know if I was going to do VoDT my answer to that is, yes, I shall do that one, after that I'll do the sixth book and the seventh book, kind of like giving you an idea about what Narnia would've been like had Susan stayed. Basic plot that C.S. Lewis did for those books will be used, but I'll add my own twist to several things. **

**Mentioning the wonderful Mr. Lewis reminds me that as of now I haven't written a Disclaimer for this story. well, now I have; **

****I Do Not Own The Narnia Books or Movies {sadly} But I do enjoy painting with the beautiful colors he left for us in our imaginations by writing the books and giving them to us to read.****

**That is pretty much the extent of my disclaimers, I'll probably put a huge one at the end of this story too.**

* * *

><p><strong>I'll be putting more PeterAmalia stuff in here if I can too. I'll cover Peter's recovery over Narnia as best as possible. I want you guys to know that Peter's depression might seem silly like, "Why can't he just move on" but people get depressed over the smallest things, it amazing and sad really, the guilt and stuff we carry around! **

* * *

><p><strong>I also realized that I've put a lot of stuff in here from the other movies and books. And I never explained the reasons clearly. Such as...<strong>

**1. Caspian and Susan are standing on a balcony looking up at the stars and he tells her about wanting to, "Go the end of the world and find his father there." I know that is from the 3rd movie, It'll been in the VoDT as well, but I just wanted to put it there because it fit the moment. **

**2. Aslan told Peter that, "In your world I have another name, you must learn to know me by it." Peter "remembers" Aslan telling him that. I did that because I think that Aslan told Lucy and Edmund pretty much the same things he told Peter and Susan. But doing that "Telling of Important Information To Know" twice in two movies of the same Genre would've made the audience bored.**

**3. In the First Chapter, when Susan gets to Ed, they talk, she asks him to think of her often perhaps, and he says; "Sure Su, anything you like." and they both smile. That's a play on when in the movie Prince Caspian, Lucy wakes up from her dream in the forest and she asks Susan to "wake up" Susan replies; "Sure Lu anything you like." and goes back to sleep. **

**4. The reason why I didn't have a chapter about Susan and Caspian's wedding was because I didn't want it to sound like a wedding from our world, I don't know of any Narnian weddings, so I didn't want to go too deep into unknown territory. **

**5. The take at the beginning of this chapter where Susan and Caspian are practicing Archery with a Longbow, is based from a deleted scene in Prince Caspian. **

**6. When I made Susan speak out for Caspian against the Council, I wasn't trying to make him look weak or anything, I was trying to put emphasis on the fact that she was already a queen who made difficult decisions for her country, so she has just a little bit more experience with that stuff, but she didn't really dwell in those circles too much from what I read in the books. **

**7. In the part where Aslan whispers that message to Peter on the wind, I did not know that what he told Peter to tell Ed was the same thing that Caspian said in his speech on the Dawn Treader in the movie until I re-watched it, sorry! {All that stuff that Aslan tells Peter came from my own head, excluding those little bits taken from the movies!}**

**By the way, the "Mercy" in the title was that Caspian and Susan weren't going to kill that Lord that tried to kill them, they were going to give him a second chance, but he pretty much blew all hope of that! {Dumb Lord.} **

**This is a really long A/N, sorry for that too! I just wanted to answer any questions you guys might have on those things. {I gave you a long chapter to make up for it, 3,000+ words!} **

**I might not be able to UD this story as much now, I have a heavy school/work load right now, I'm taking tons of writing courses and electives, trying to become a writer is hard! I'll try to UD every 2 weeks or so, more if I find I have any free time to write. Thanks for reading! ~ W.H.1492 **


	4. For A Reason

**Chapter 4: For a Reason**

**~Narnia~**

Susan looked at Caspian nervously, it had been a week since their attempted assassination, and they were still on edge. They kept it to themselves, not knowing who they could trust to confide in. The inability to confide was a burden neither of them needed, what with everything going on.

Calormen had officially declared themselves at war with Narnia. Anyone from Narnia would be taken as a prisoner of war if found within their borders.

"What do we do? We're trapped in our own home! Caspian, we need to do something!" Susan whispered.

"I know, but what? I've been over it and over it this past week and no one seems to have been in league with Lord Barnireius. That I can _tell_." Caspian whispered back.

"Can't we force their hand? Make them give something away?"

"I don't know _what_ would do that."

"We need to make a decision about Calormen, Susan, fight them or ignore them, they're going to act sooner than later, and we're hardly prepared for anything!"

"I _know_! Why don't you just agree to assemble the army? That would solve most of those questions."

"Fine then, but what after?"

Susan just looked at him pensively; anything they said against Calormen could be dangerous.

"Lords of the Council, We have reached a decision, assemble an army to be held in reserve for confrontation with Calormen, in case of attack. Declare that we are officially at war with that country."

The lords whispered and conversed among themselves as Susan and Caspian left, going to talk in private, away from a place where even walls could hear. Outside.

Our beloved King and Queen were trapped on all sides, what could they do to stop hate and greed from destroying what they were trying so hard to rebuild?

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~England, Hendon House~**

"Peter, please, we want to go for a walk, come with us! It could be like the old times again!" Lucy wheedled.

The young girl nearly fell as the door of her brother's dorm room, that she had been leaning on, opened to her.

"Lucy, it could never be like it was! Don't you know that? Stop being such a child and just come to terms with everything, I'm trying to, having to, He really gave me no choice. Thank Aslan you haven't ever had to experience this kind of pain." Peter said, leaning against the doorframe.

"I know what happened Peter, but please, for old times' sake?" Lucy asked, looking at him with puppy dog eyes that had convinced him to play a fateful game of hide-and-seek one rainy day a summer ago, or had it been seventeen?

"Fine Lu. I can never deny you anything when you do that face." Peter said, smiling slightly at his youngest sister.

"Oh good! Edmund's downstairs waiting; I'll go tell him you're coming!" Lucy exclaimed, running off.

As soon as the girl was gone, Peter closed his eyes in tired defeat. To keep going, even when things seemed to be slightly better, was killing him. He was coming to terms about never being able to get into Narnia again, but he still bore the guilt of leaving Amalia, to face whatever came after they left, alone. Even though he had no control in the matter, the guilt still pursued him tirelessly.

**{~~~~~~~~}**

"Come on Ed! Catch me if you can!" Lucy shouted, laughing as she and her brother ran across the browning grass in the park.

"I'll catch you, I'm faster!" Edmund laughed.

Peter leaned against a tree, just watching. They had the hope of coming back to something; Aslan had left him with nothing. Perhaps to a vain person, getting to live your life over again might seem like a blessing, but to this king, it was a curse. A curse he could not prevent, nor did he even know of until now.

To be left without even a glimmer of hope, was nearly destroying in and of itself. A person can only go on so long without the knowledge of hope. Faith in anything is the byproduct of hope. One _cannot _have faith if the light of hope has dimmed and gone black. Peter would have to find the hope he had left behind, if he was ever to renew his faith in Aslan and Narnia.

But how can one find hope in this world of nonbelievers and worldly people, who had never known what it was like to help, to deliver a nation from darkness, or the threat thereof? This was the true quest that Aslan had prepared Peter for by allowing him to come into Narnia. One can easily believe when everything is fine and you can see Aslan, but to be without a visual guide? That is the true test.

Peter didn't know it yet, but Aslan had done all these things so that he could be a stronger, better person. But the road to faith is littered with temptations and stones, you look at a temptation, and you stop watching where you're putting your feet; you stumble. Faith is not a thing one can achieve by a once-only-never-again thing, but by continuous falling, getting back up and asking to be healed from that new wound. That is and always, will be Faith.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~Narnia~**

The two figures leaned over the necks of their horses, urging the stallions faster, not so much in the urgency of their mission, but to prevent followers. The girl's hair streamed behind her like a black banner in the wind; having been pulled from the style she had put it up in.

Caspian and Susan were riding through the late fall forest, dressed much like they had in the time before War of Deliverance. They had refused a guard, not knowing of they could trust even the Telmarine soldiers not to harm or betray them to some unknown traitor.

"Caspian, what do we do? This has to end." Susan said, standing next to him after they had dismounted in a forest glade.

"I don't know, what with Barnireius, and now the threat, I can't think what to do, add on to all this I have to now lead an army into battle, an army I don't even know is still loyal to me. Why hasn't Aslan helped? Are we to do this alone?" Caspian asked, looking tired and frustrated, coming up against so many walls.

"I don't know, but we can trust the Narnians, perhaps they could help us, they did in my time." Susan said, stepping closer to him and putting a hand on his arm in comfort.

Yesterday, they had been given a threat of death if they didn't align themselves with Calormen and her supporting countries and go back to the Telmarine ways. It had been pinned to their bedroom door with one of Susan's arrows. Which made them remember Lord Sopespian, and how he had kept an arrow of hers after Miraz obtained it. If they had not seen him die with their own eyes, they would've assumed it to be him.

"How do we find them?" He asked abruptly, looking at her.

Even though there was peace between Narnians and Telmarines, the Narnians preferred to live away from them, deep in the forest. Saying that they weren't afraid, they just didn't want to cause any panic. Susan knew that it was because they had lived hidden for so long. And a habit, once made, is hard to break.

"I don't think I should use my horn." She said with a smile, holding it up between them.

"I think you're right." He grinned, remembering.

"Perhaps we just, let them come to us. They'll know where we are." Susan suggested.

"Fine."

"Are you beginning to wish you'd gone with them, your siblings, after all that's happened?" Caspian asked, curious to know.

"No - no, not at all! Being a ruler of a country isn't all fun and games, it's sometimes a harsh reality, I should know; it was for me when I first became queen."

Suddenly they were aware of a noise in the woods to their left. Both turned, Susan ready with her bow if it was an ambush, Caspian with his hand on his sword hilt.

"What is the reason for your fear? We felt unrest in the trees, what is happening?" Glenstorm asked, coming out of the brush, his black flanks covered in white lather from his gallop.

"Why did you come _alone_?" a black Wolf queried, noticing their lack of protection.

Susan lowered her bow at the same time Caspian stepped forward to speak.

"There _is_ unrest, among the new monarchs of Narnia and between those of Calormen; there are traitors in the courts. We know not whom to trust." Caspian spoke with finality, an edge in his voice, the short speech giving detail without using extra words.

"What can we do to help you?" Glenstorm asked.

"We need to know if you and the rest of the Narnians will be willing to fight against Calormen next to us if perchance our Telmarine soldiers turn against us."

"For Aslan and Narnia, we shall fight alongside you. It is far better to die for justice, and freedom, than to live a full life of meaninglessness." Glenstorm said with fervour.

"Are you with me?" Susan asked, testing him.

"To the death." Glenstorm replied with what could be called a smile.

She smiled briefly back at him. That was all she had to know. What Peter asked of Oreius was all she needed to ask to see how strong the Narnian's loyalty would be.

Caspian looked at her in bewilderment, but would ask questions later.

"Where and when should we assemble?" The Wolf, Zavala, asked, ready to gather his people and others living deep in the forest.

"Archenland, near the Calormen border, but out of sight of both countries so you can watch their movements, see if Archenland is still as faithful as she declares. Near the raven, as soon as possible, time is short." Caspian said.

"My King, My Queen." Zavala said, bobbing his head before darting off into the forest, soon after they heard a haunting howl echoing down to them through the trees. Susan shivered; the sound bringing back terrible memories of a dark night, stone animals, betrayal from a sibling, and hiding up in a tree just to stay alive.

"Are you all right?" Caspian asked, looking over at her.

"Fine, just, umm, thinking of something unpleasant." Susan replied.

"You should return to the castle, before soldiers are sent to find you, I would not want Narnians in danger from Telmarines because their monarchs have mysteriously vanished after going to find them." Glenstorm said, meaning their audience with him was at an end.

Susan curtsied to the centaur, and Caspian bowed, respect as an equal was rare for the centaurs in these gray days of "peace" between the mythical creatures of Narnia and the Telmarines. Glenstorm smiled, these two were excellent monarchs, and they were perfect examples to their people, if only the people would open their eyes to see that.

As Caspian and Susan mounted, her on her tall white stallion, him on Destrier, they glanced back where the Narnians had vanished, what would happen now? They both looked grim as the sudden realization dawned.

Come what may, they would not surrender without telling the world that they were Free believers, they were Just, Merciful, but also Steadfast in their cause. They fought for what was Right.

"_For Narnia and for Aslan!"_

Far in the distant past, a lion roared.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~England, Hendon House~**

Peter woke from the strange dream feeling cold all over. Something was happening in Narnia, he could feel it.

His dream had been a wild collage of things from the past, the Winter Revolution, the War of Deliverance, and Susan and Caspian standing in a forest with Susan asking; "Are you with me?" and ending in a battle field with Narnian and Telmarine soldiers standing in their ranks, a cool Narnian winter breeze blowing.

"Pete, what is it?" Edmund asked from his bed, having woken from a strange dream himself.

Edmund's dream being fleeting images from _his_ Narnian past, Jadis, Maugrim, the Battle of Beruna, and a battle he'd never been in, with Telmarines and Narnians standing alongside one another. Susan and Caspian, standing next to one another, ready for battle. Then there were griffons, hundreds and hundreds of them, like there had been in the Golden Age.

"I just had the strangest dream ever."

"So did _I_!" Edmund said, fumbling to turn on his lamp.

"Narnia is going into battle again, but I couldn't tell who with!" Peter exclaimed, looking at his brother.

"I got the same feeling; do you think it's with an evil like Jadis?" Edmund asked hesitantly.

"No, there was no Fell in the opposite side. But I couldn't be sure, something tells me it's not though." Peter replied, trying to reassure his brother, also trying not to awaken his brother's demons from the past.

"I wonder if Lucy had a dream like ours?" Edmund asked thoughtfully.

"Should we go sneak over to her dorm and see if she's awake?" Peter asked with a small grin.

"Why not? It can't hurt!" Edmund responded, jumping out of bed to get dressed. Peter watched him for a moment, wondering how he felt about not knowing.

"_Not knowing. Not knowing. We can never know, __**Enjoy**__ the __**Freedom **__of not knowing things that are too __**Deep**__ for you. To Not Know." _

The thought rang in Peter's mind as he closed the bedroom door silently. He did not need to know why Aslan had chosen to take him away from his love. He needed to have _Hope_ that he would come back to her when the time was right. Aslan did everything for a reason. His faith grew with that small seedling of hope. Perhaps the flame that had grown to embers could return to a roaring fire again? We can only _hope_ as we watch this tale play to its end.

**{~~~~~~~}**

"Lucy, is that you?" Edmund whispered loudly as he and Peter crossed the street and noticed someone walking toward them.

"Peter, Ed? Yes, it's me, what are you _doing_ out here?"

"We wanted to know if you had a dream much like ours." Peter requested in a low tone.

"You mean one of Narnia, our Golden Age, and a battle we've never been in?" Lucy asked, answering their question to the letter.

"Yes. Narnia must be facing some new threat." Silence followed Edmund's statement.

Three young adults stood on the sidewalk in the middle of the night, silent, as they thought about everything they'd gone through, and what was coming upon their beloved country. A force they could not stop, could not see, and could not help defeat.

One was lost, One had a dark past that still haunted him, and One had enough Hope to rebuild the Faith of both.

They prayed that Aslan would protect everyone they cared about, everyone who they had befriended, and all those they hadn't met, but were just as brave. To love a country and a being like Aslan one cannot see must be a great thing, no?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Hey ya'll! **

**Sorry it's so short, but this chapter is for all those who wanted a little more Peter, and for all of those who wanted a little bit of pre-war action. The reason Susan asked that question of Glenstorm, is because she wanted to know if they would be willing to die for Narnia so soon after the War of Deliverance. I'm getting really deep into Peter's depression. I'll UD chapter 5 very soon, if my internet holds out that is! Hope you enjoy this UD! ~ W.H.1492**


	5. A Cry in the Dark

**Chapter 5: A Cry in the Dark**

**~Narnia~**

A man with dark hair and greying streaks running through it walked down the stairs in the castle. He looked noble, but if you studied him closely, you could see that there was a cruelness about his countenance. He smiled at you, but it was a belittling smile, meaning, it seemed, that he thought you inferior to himself.

He knew all the right words, but there was a hollow, artificial feeling about them. Around Caspian and Susan he acted pleasant, but if you happened to look over at him when he thought no one was watching, he would be staring at the young king and queen with hatred burning like a fire in his dark eyes.

This was the Lord Verius. A sort of person I hope never to meet. The type who could watch a house with people in it burn, and smile. His hatred of Narnians and Caspian seemed to stem from nothing, unless you knew his family history well. He was not Telmarine, as he led everyone to believe, but Galmanian, his ancestors had started a rebellion in Galma several hundred years ago, a rebellion that the four kings and queens of Narnia put down, but they reached Galma's shores only after the monarchs had been murdered.

Several of his ancestors had been put to death for their villainy of the murder of the Galmanian Royalty. And in the years that followed, the people of his clan were hunted and hounded for their misdeeds. Do not show pity for this man and his family because of this, they were truly the worst of mankind. Rivaling Jadis and Miraz, though less well-known.

This was the reason he hated them, a small petty thing, considering how much better things were for him now. He hated Caspian for his ideas of Narnians and Telmarines living as equals. Narnians were nothing but barbarian creatures that needed to be destroyed in his opinion, along with that Queen Susan.

He stopped at the foot of the marble stairs; a figure wearing a dark hooded cape was waiting for him.

"Their Majesties have been out on a ride, they've only now returned."

"What? Were they followed? Did any of you see where they went or what they have done? I need an answer, now!" He whispered; his tone hard and grating.

"No, we did not your Eminence, but their horses had been obviously ridden hard, and they refused a brigade of soldiers. We fear that they are starting to suspect something." The spy replied.

"How dare you! I told you I wanted them watched carefully! We shall never rid ourselves of them if you fools continue to show incompetence. I am slowly growing in need of you less and less, you do not want to know the outcome of that needlessness, I am sure, Durken." Verius hissed, grabbing the young man by the shirtfront.

"Please, no, don't hurt my family, I'll do anything to redeem us, what is it you ask, name it and it shall be." The nineteen year old whispered desperately.

The boy's father, in urgent need of money to free his youngest son, Gavan, from military service to Miraz, had borrowed from the Lord, but could not find means to pay back the great sum. So Verius, instead of insisting on money, asked if he might have the man's six sons work for him. Withermere could not deny the trade, so, against his better judgment, he allowed them to work for the cruel man. Durken, the oldest, tried to keep the tyrannical Lord's anger off his mother, father and brothers. In doing so he received most of the man's wrath.

"I just don't want you to mess anything else up, fool! Now, go see what you can hear." Verius whispered harshly, shaking the boy one last time before letting go of him and walking away.

Durken sighed, looking down at the ground before limping off brusquely. The limp a gift from Verius when Barnireius disappeared without making communication through Durken to Verius after his failed attempt at murdering the King and Queen. The man had beaten the boy practically senseless in his outrage.

**{~~~~~~~~}**

"Have you heard anything, Erikk?" Durken asked, coming upon his brother in the hidden room deep in the castle where they stayed while they were in residence there.

"No, nothing, what did he say?" Erikk queried, looking over his oldest brother for signs of further abuse.

"He wants us to not slip-up again like we did today. Or I fear he'll do something to mother and father." Durken sighed.

"What did he say, did he injure you again?" Arran, next oldest after Durken asked, coming up.

Durken sighed a second time and removed his hood. His silver-blonde shoulder length hair tumbling around his face. He looked into blue eyes nearly as dark as his own, except they lacked the tiredness, but the familiar spark of happiness in them was slowly dying. All the boys removed their hoods after their brother. The silver-blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin that never seemed to burn or tan, attesting to what they were and their ancestry. They were stars. Or should have been. Aslan had allowed their mother to marry their father when the two fell in love. Their father having been a star. Withermere gave up his place in the night sky to spend his life with his love. The boys could have become stars like their father, had not Verius forced them to do what they were doing now. They felt that they were betraying their country, so they were not worthy of anything but death if they were caught.

"Where is Moriah?" He asked, looking around as Arran led him to a chair.

"I don't know, but I'm sure she's fine. You really needn't worry about her, you know." Arran said, giving Durken a cup of water.

"Arran, any girl dressed as a boy is in danger! And no, I'm not thirsty, don't give me food either Erikk, it will not shut me up!" Durken exclaimed, standing. The boys' fifteen year old "brother" was actually their sister. They dressed her as a boy, and renamed her "Micah" because they didn't know what Verius might do to her.

"What won't shut you up?" Zephyr asked, coming in. He was sixteen, and quietest of the bunch. The best navigator of the family, but sadly, also the best spy. He was also the only brother to have silver hair, and ice blue eyes like their father. Looking most like a star was dangerous for him, since he seemed to shine like one as well, so he had to be careful and go around in a hooded cape if he was travelling at dark.

"Nothing, Zephyr, do _you_ know where Moriah is?"

"No and yes. Well, sort of, not really, okay, I used to." He said eventually, his brother staring at him until the truth came out.

"Where? Go get her!" Durken said, growing anxious for his little sister. Gavan, their youngest brother at fourteen, broke his leg riding a horse that was much too difficult to handle, when he tried to deliver a message for Verius. Ever since then, Durken had been hard-pressed to keep the rest of his siblings safe.

"She was standing on the tower, looking at the sky." Zephyr said.

"I wish she'd stop thinking about joining the stars, it will never happen, not now that we've become traitors." Durken whispered brokenly, staring at the wall, lost in thought, thinking himself about what it might've been like. All the boys became silent. They were trapped in this place, but their spirits were free. To tie down a star to earth was a cruel thing, especially some so young.

As if in reply to their request, the door opened, and in walked Moriah. When they had first started disguising her, they had tried to cut her hair, but it grew too fast, so they soon stopped, and just tied it back. Each sibling was nearly identical in features, but they had their own look about them. Durken wore his hair down to his shoulders, and he had the darkest blue eyes of them all. He carried a dagger, but that was all. He dressed in dark clothes, but preferred lighter colored ones.

Arran, eighteen, wore his hair longer than his older brother, but preferred to braid it back from his face. He carried a dagger in his boot, and one at his waist. He like fighting, but didn't like killing anyone. He loved the ocean, but had never been able to sail on it. He looked much like you'd imagine a pirate.

Erikk, seventeen, had curly hair, and as a result, grew it just below his ears. He carried a broadsword, but preferred horseback archery; he loved horses, and always talked about working with Narnia's Talking Horses. He dressed in dusk colors, dark purples and midnight blues, never black, as he said he would not dress in the color of his employer's heart.

Zephyr, sixteen, was, as previously mentioned, quiet, a good judger of character, and an excellent navigator of the night sky. He could tell you exactly where in the Narnian world you were, just by looking at the positions of the stars in the night sky. His hair was rather short compared to the rest of his siblings, but it stuck up in every direction, looking for all the world as if he'd just tumbled out of bed. Not in an odd way, just not as groomed in appearance as the rest of his brothers. He was often embarrassed by the way he shined like an earthbound star at night, so he would wear long sleeves, a hood and sometimes gloves.

Moriah, fifteen, was as beautiful as she was free spirited. Durken was always afraid that if Verius ever found out she was a girl, he would take her away. Her hair fell to her waist and was constantly a point of worry to her and her siblings. It would not be cut, so she put it up in a tight braid down her back. Since she had to wear a hood, all her brothers started wearing them as well. They found that they looked more fearsome that way, but also their heritage was more conspicuous. She was the only one of them who was excellent with a spear. So, next to the saddle on her black stallion, Devil, was a sheath of the pointed objects.

Gavan, fourteen, was the youthful one of the bunch, or he had been until he'd fallen from his father's bay charger trying to deliver a message for Verius when none of his brothers had been around. After he broke his leg, his eyes lost their spark, and he became much like Durken, sad, depressed, and bitter about life. His older brother had tried to hid his emotions at first, but after Verius took away the young lady he had been considering marrying, he stopped pretending. Verius took her away saying that she was an unnecessary distraction. Gavan echoed his brother in nearly every aspect. They looked alike, they thought alike, and they felt the same about many subjects. He wore his white-blonde hair about chin-length. Because of a stubborn cowlick, it fell over his eyes, causing him to toss his head like a horse might when its mane gets in the way of its view. He had been smacked across the face by the Lord many times because of this habit.

These were the children of Sir Withermere and Lady Merit of the Greenwood.

"What are you all thinking about?" Moriah asked softly.

"The Sky and Stars." Zephyr replied.

"We need to go do what Verius wants, before he catches us." Arran muttered, putting his hood up after he finished eating. Breakfast, dinner and supper seemed the only time they could have decent conversation with one another; Arran thought moodily.

"Yes, you're right, we need to go. Durken, you stay here, we know you're tired, eat, rest and we'll be back soon." Erikk said, standing.

"Come, its dark, time we went to do the devil's bidding." Zephyr said, grabbing some bread from the table.

"Remember to gather some information that will please the carrion." Durken said as they left.

His siblings only nodded as they put on their hoods, Zephyr pulling on his gloves.

After they'd gone, the room was quiet. Durken leaned back and relaxed slightly for the first time in a long while. He thought about Lyra for the first time in weeks.

True, the young man and his family were Narnians, but they were just things that could be replaced, and Lord Verius never let them forget it. Every time Durken threatened to leave, and take his family with him, the man would remind him of Lyra, and the fact that he held her captive, and would kill her if the boy so much as stepped one foot outside of Narnia without his permission. She was the one thing between him and his freedom. To put a person's love between them and the way out is diabolical, and heartless.

"Aslan, you promised to help us if ever we needed it, we need it now! Please, send redemption for our sins; send us a way out of this!" Durken whispered brokenly to the now empty room.

'_Wrong will be Right, when Aslan comes in sight!_

_At the sound of His roar, sorrows will be no more._

_When he bares His teeth, Winter meets its death,_

_When he shakes His mane, we shall have Spring again.'_

Durken remembered the poem from his time as a little boy sitting by the fire listening to his mother and father tell stories of the four good Kings and Queens of old. His father had only been a very young star when they'd been rulers of Narnia, but he knew wonderful stories of them. If only the Great Lion could save them like he saved everyone in those stories. He stood, there were things he needed to do, posts he needed to be listening at, he had best be off.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~England, Hendon House~**

Edmund stared out the window in his classroom. The day was seeming to drag on forever. He wanted to talk to Peter, talk to Lucy. It was annoying to sit in class and talk about medieval weapons. He had held some of the best broadswords in history, he thought with a small grin. Suddenly he sat up straighter as the teacher, a Mr. Archibald, talked of going on a school tour of a fencing school, to see actors and actual teachers use the archaic weapons. Perhaps even get to hold the thing. Edmund raised his hand, wanting to know when they would go.

"When will this outing take place?" He asked casually, though inside he was jumping with nervous excitement.

"This afternoon, Mr. Pevensie, would you be willing to participate?" His teacher asked, as this would be the first time that the boy had shown some interest in anything.

"I believe I'd enjoy going." Edmund replied truthfully.

"Well then, I shall sign your name to the roster. Remember, directly after lunch we shall depart class. Please do not forget!" Mr. Archibald called out as the lunch bell rang.

**{~~~~~~~~~}**

As Edmund stepped off the bus, he looked up at the two-story building, wondering if any of the students in here were up to his caliber yet. It would be amusing to watch them, and know exactly what they were doing wrong. The boys in front of him whispered amongst themselves, but he was quiet.

"And this is a broadsword, the name first coined by the Germans. Would any of you like to hold it?" The broadsword instructor asked of the group. He looked at them as the quiet group suddenly became disgruntled, someone from the back started forward, a dark-haired boy of about fifteen stepped up to him.

"May I?" He asked, stretching out his hand in the man's direction.

"Of course, now, you might find it hea-" He was interrupted by the boy.

"I know how to handle one of these, but thank-you sir." He said, holding the weapon upright. He slashed it expertly through the air several times before looking up.

"Do you have another, and perhaps some of better quality, this one is practically a tin child's toy."

"What! How dare you? You can't know anything about swordsmanship, and I'll gladly get you another, and challenge you as well! No one can use two at a time; it hasn't been done that way since medieval times!" The master said, getting three more off the wall, these of much better quality. He handed two of them to Edmund; the boy looked at them, smiled, and raised them to combat position.

"I must interfere, this is one of my students, and I can't risk his injury." Mr. Archibald said, standing between the two. Edmund looked over at the man, and he stepped back a bit, the boy looked as if he knew exactly what he was doing.

"On the other hand, I could just stand back and watch." The teacher said, rubbing his hands together.

"Are you ready?" The Instructor, a Signor Jose Gloziella, asked.

"Are you?" Edmund asked confidently.

The man was caught off guard at the boy's moves; he crossed the swords and aimed for the man's neck, as Jadis had done to Peter, in a great battle many years ago. Then he quickly used another one to swipe at the man's legs, trying to unbalance him. Jose had never had a student so excellent, nor one who wasn't his student, but merely a young stranger come in like this and fight this way. The dark-haired boy twirled a broadsword above his head and then brought it down hard at the man's sword arm. Jose managed to block it, but only just, and he was caught off guard and fell to his knees when the boy took his second one and aimed it at his torso. He dropped his sword, saying;

"I give!"

The boy was standing, using amazing defense. One sword held high above his head directed at the man on the ground, the other protecting his stomach, heart, and legs. He grinned down at the Instructor on his knees.

"I win." He said calmly. He leaned the swords against a bench and helped the man to his feet. Jose, breaking a sweat long ago, and panting heavily, looked at the boy and was amazed that he seemed hardly winded.

"You are a master, where have you learned, who taught you?"

"I learned from many people, non you will know, but I mostly taught myself." Edmund replied, frowning, remembering why he shouldn't have done what he did.

"I have never seen someone as great with a broadsword as you; it's almost as if you have gone back in time to study the art." Jose marveled.

"Derrick, Finn, Clem, come here, I want you to see this boy's moves, tell me what you think." Signor Gloziella called across the large room to three young men around twenty, who were practicing in the corner.

"Vhat is sir? This boy, vhy he's a mere child." A blonde with a Swiss accent said, giving an encouraging smile.

"I know he seems young Derrick, but watch him in action."

"Boy, what's your name?"

"Edmund." He answered.

"Edmund, please show my students your last move." Edmund looked at them oddly, but raised his weapons as he'd done before.

"Well, what do you think, isn't he a master or isn't he?" Jose asked, looking triumphant at their dumbfounded expressions.

"Vhere did you learn?" Derrick asked sharply.

"I taught myself." was Edmund's reply.

"Impossible, you could never have. It takes years to master this art, and you're what, fourteen?" Finn, a redhead, queried.

"No, fifteen, and yes, I did, obviously, or I wouldn't be standing here." Edmund said in exasperation. He wished he hadn't done this; he was digging a hole he would never be able to climb out of.

"Hmm, would you be willing to come back next week and show a class your moves, we would pay you to do so." Clem asked, stepping forward, instantly liking this boy.

"I suppose it would be fine, it just depends on the time and day, and I do have school you know." Edmund stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh, yes, of course, perhaps on a weekend, would that suit you?" Jose asked, smiling at him kindly.

"I don't see why Mr. Pevensie can't, as long as he's safely looked after." Mr. Archibald said, answering for Edmund. He sighed; it looked like he would be coming back whether or not he wanted. Ed's teacher was thrilled that this was something the boy seemed to enjoy, and hoped to see more activity from him. If Edmund showed promise in this, his teacher would be willing to let his grade pass with flying colors because of his activity in the age-old tradition of sword-play.

**{~~~~~~~}**

Edmund sighed as he threw himself down on his bed later that day, after they'd come back from the outing.

"What happened, you look unhappy." Peter said, from where he was reading on his own bed.

"My class and I went on an outing to a swordsmanship school, and I was stupid enough to challenge the Headmaster, now I'm expected to come every weekend to teach his beginner's class! The one good thing that's come out of this mess is that it shall pass me in History."

"What is so bad about that? I wish you hadn't done it, but you never do as you're told, of course, but still, you are very good at that, and if it helps you pass History, why not?" Peter said calmly, happy that Ed had found something to do with himself.

"I can't believe that you just condoned this!" Edmund burst out.

"There you go sounding like King Edmund the Just; you really need to stop that." Peter said, smiling at his brothers' annoyance.

"Sometimes I really hate you!" Edmund exclaimed, turning away from Peter.

"I'm your older brother, you can hate me, but you know you'll always forgive me." Peter stated, going back to his book.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~Narnia~**

Durken shuddered as the stallions squealed and kicked in their stalls. He was glad he was only passing through the stable, he did not like Destrier nor Susan's mount, Glacier. They were unpredictable in his opinion. He preferred his gentle dappled grey stallion, Moonglow. He went up to the stall his horse was in and rubbed the horses' face.

"Ready for a long ride?" He asked the horse. Verius had given him a message to hand deliver to one of his confederates. It would take all-night travelling. He reached for his saddle and bridle, not eager to do this, even though his stallion was gentle, he loved running fast. And Durken's leg was just not ready to take that yet. They burst out of the stable at a trot, Moonglow's shod hooves ringing on the cobblestones. Durken glanced around him, pulling his hood up to conceal his blonde hair.

"Where are you going at such a late hour boy?" A guard asked when he came to the drawbridge.

"I have a message from the Lord Verius, it is urgent, I must go at once or I'll be no better than dead." He said, desperation coating his tone.

"I know what you mean; the man's a tyrant, off with you then!" The guard said in sympathy, motioning him on through.

"In the name of Aslan!" the young man flung over his shoulder.

"The Great Lion be with you!" The man called back.

Durken smiled; at least Caspian still had faithful men in his military.

"Come on! Get up!" Durken called encouragingly to his stallion. The horse snorted, tossed his head, and moved into a gallop. The boy and his family a silent cry in the evil darkness that held them captive. How they wished someone could rescue them.

**{~~~~~~~}**

Caspian watched the young man ride out of the courtyard, he'd never seen the boy before, and wondered who he was. With the hooded cloak, his features were indiscernible. Susan came up just then and linked her arm through his.

"What are you looking at?" She asked, following his gaze.

"A boy who just rode out, something about an urgent message from Verius. I don't believe I've ever seen him before."

"Hmm, perhaps we should look into it tomorrow." She said, closing her eyes and leaning against him sleepily.

"Perhaps." Caspian said, putting his arm around her waist. They stood that way for some time before turning in.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: What do you think of the family of Stars? I thought that they would be an interesting twist. they sort of just popped into the pages, I wanted to have someone torn between Light and Dark, Good and Evil, and these kids just came into it. At first it was just Durken, but I thought why not a bunch of relatives? and that's when I got the idea to give him siblings. I wasn't going to make them Stars, but I was writing their appearance, and thought, why not? And there's the Greenwood family.**

**And for Bekah, did I flesh out the Lord enough? I hope I did, I don't want ya'll to be confused when the great battle comes up! I want you to tell me; what do you think of Ed's little swordplay incident? I hope to get honest opinions from everyone! **

**I have one more favor to ask, please, if it isn't too much, could you tell me your favorite parts of **

**"_The Voyage of the Dawn Treader?" _It would be most appreciated, that way I can try to put those parts in the next story, which will be, as I've already mentioned, a compilation of both the book and the movie. Happy reading! ~ W.H.1492 **

**P.S. Please excuse any mistakes, my computer was acting weird! **


	6. A Choice Must Be Made

**Chapter 6: A Choice Must Be Made**

**~Narnia~**

"Susan, we need to talk, in private." Caspian said, looking over briefly at her ladies-in-waiting, who she had been telling stories of her past life in Narnia.

"Ladies, please excuse us, would you come back another time, perhaps?" Susan addressed the women kindly, telling them to leave. After the last lady had left the room, she turned to her husband.

"What is it, more disturbing news from Calormen, or from the North?" She stared at him with anxious eyes; these matters of state were starting to get depressing.

"That boy I noticed last week, I think he's some sort of spy, set to watch us. You remember the one with the message from Verius. I noticed him again, following me in the stable when I went to go see about Destrier and Glacier." Caspian met her gaze with worry, the unanswered question of; did he follow them into the forest that day they went to find the Narnians?

"You don't think…" Susan asked, looking at him with concern.

I don't know, we can only hope that we were riding too fast a pace for him to keep up, but this worries me." Caspian said, his brow furrowed in thought.

"I think Verius is involved somehow, but I can't be sure." He added, as an afterthought.

"We need to send the military to the border between Calormen and Archenland, we can break away from them after dark to find the Narnians and see what they have discovered." Susan said, looking at Caspian with confidence. She could do this, she was a queen, and she would always remember that when she became afraid.

"Fine, get ready, this could be our death, I do not know who will follow me into this battle." Caspian said, turning to go.

Susan turned to start preparations for packing a few dresses, nothing special, just something simple, and easy to move around in. She stood in the middle of her dressing room, remembering when she first became queen. She smiled at the memories. A time long ago, when she never had to doubt her subjects' loyalty. She wondered how long this anger among Caspian's people would go on, would he ever get to know the true peace she had felt during her first reign? She sighed, there was work to be done, and her packing would not finish itself.

**{~~~~~~~}**

"Erikk, Zephyr, Moriah, Arran, Gavan! Quickly, a complication has arisen; we need to leave at once!" Durken shouted coming into the area they resided. His hair was mussed and his clothes were torn, all his siblings stared at him quizzically as he reached outside the door and brought another person in with him. The figure was wearing his cloak, and had the hood pulled over their face.

"You're safe now, no one shall find you here, and Verius doesn't even know this place exists." Durken said to the silent figure.

Feminine hands reached out and turned down the hood covering her head. Long auburn locks cascaded around her to her waist like a shining waterfall. Luminous emerald green eyes in a pale and dirt-stained face met theirs in fear, and curiosity.

"Lyra! But how did you escape?" Arran cried in joy, and with a bit of confusion, as he recognized the young woman standing before them.

"I, I, It's a very long tale, and still brings terror to me, please let me rest a moment to get my strength back, I've been walking for days." She answered tiredly.

"Of course! Sit here, Moriah, fetch some drink, Erikk, get some food." Arran called, noticing his brother still stood, looking uneasy, but exhausted himself.

"Where did you find her, and what happened to you?" Erikk queried after the two had rested for a while.

"In the woods, on my way back from delivering the message, I was given a welcome greeting from our employers' confederate; it seems that the information disclosed made him angry." Durken said absently, his brothers nodded in knowing.

"How did you know it was my brother?" Moriah asked, sitting at the older girl's feet.

"I'd know any of you, no one I've ever met has hair so gold, nor eyes so blue." Lyra replied, smiling at Durken.

"How did that devil treat you?" Zephyr asked, causing his brother to jump with remembrance. Lyra didn't get a chance to respond before Durken broke in.

"We need to go." he said again, standing and looking at his siblings with fear.

"Why, what is it?" Lyra asked, fear rising in her own voice. Durken looked away, wondering whether or not to tell her their part in the betrayal of their own country.

"We - we, need to tell you something, we have been forced by Verius to work as spies, and try to prevent King Caspian and Queen Susan from ruling Narnia as the rightful monarchs. He threatened to kill you and Mother and Father if we tried to flee. There is much more, but I fear it would give you cause to hate us, and perhaps become disgusted with what we have allowed that man to make us." Arran said, knowing that his older brother could not bring himself to say those words about his family; his pride prevented him from being able to admit the truth. Lyra went over to Durken and looked him in the eye.

"Is this true, you have let that man force you practically as slaves, because you would not let him kill me? I am nothing to Narnia, you, you are a star, what would stop you from doing something great for Narnia?" Lyra asked, putting her hand on his arm.

"I love you, I could not let him kill you, and _you_ are important to me. My heritage is nothing if I am but a betrayer of men, and a traitor to my country!" Durken finished bitterly turning away from her.

"You care for me more than as a friend?"

"Lyra, you know my feelings, I've never led you to believe otherwise." He said, turning back to face her. His brothers and sister were starting to feel slightly uncomfortable at the twist of conversation, so Zephyr asked;

"Why do we have to leave, and where to?"

"Because, I think the King knows of us, and I fear he shan't be long in uncovering our assistance in the plot against him and his Queen, he might now think our lives are worth keeping." Durken said, looking at his siblings.

"I've been to the Manor, Mother and Father have already fled Narnia, to safety in the Narnian army that Glenstorm is assembling on the edge of Archenland, The king and his wife are going there tomorrow, we could arrive there just behind them, and perhaps get a chance to tell our story." Yes, Durken knew about the secret army, as a Narnian, but he would never reveal this knowledge to his employer. It was one thing to betray the monarchs, another matter entirely to betray his countrymen.

"A choice must be made, flee to the North, or surrender ourselves to Caspian and his hidden army?" The young stars looked around at each other. These last months had changed all of them; Gavan had recovered and had only now rejoined their spy troupe. All five of his older siblings wanted him to know what it felt like to be a kid again. Moriah wanted to get to be a girl again, Erikk wanted to stop worrying about being hung, Arran wanted to sail the sea, and Zephyr wanted to have time to study the stars again, and ask Aslan if he might become one. Durken wanted to propose to Lyra and marry her, without threat of a tyrannical maniac lording over them. They all wondered how merciful Caspian and his wife would be to them if they surrendered.

"Let us do it." Zephyr said laconically.

If this be death, it is the only way to die!" Arran shouted.

"Down with Verius, up with Aslan!" Gavan cried, temporarily startling his siblings with his enthusiasm.

"I want to stop hiding down here, let's go!" Erikk said with a smile of enthusiasm.

"I want to see the sky during the day, and I would very much like to practice my speak-throwing again, in the daylight!" Moriah shouted.

Durken laughed at their enthusiasm, he bent down and kissed Lyra in happiness. This might mean their death, but so what? They could finally clear their conscious for what they'd been doing.

"When, if, this ends pleasantly, would you…?" Lyra asked hesitantly.

"I want to marry you, and nothing will stop me this time!" Durken answered in reply, standing closer to her to be heard over the other's shouts and yells of excitement.

"Very well, I shall go with you; I do not want to be separated from you again for so long." She whispered as he kissed her passionately.

To see them at that moment, you would not have known what they'd been doing for nine months of that year. With Aslan strong in their hearts and minds, they were ready to face the consequences of their actions.

**{~~~~~~~}**

Susan and Caspian arrived with their troops at the only pass into Calormen from Archenland, at the start of the Great Desert. They watched as supplies and weapons were unloaded, and a camp was pitched. They sat atop their horses on a rise, just watching.

Susan had decided to wear her traditional Narnian clothes; she wanted to see how the soldiers and officers would react to their _very_ Narnian queen. A silver circlet adorning her head, instead of her heavy Telmarine crown, she had been so used to wearing her "crown", the circlet in her previous rule, that it was second nature, to not be was unusual, for her at least. She and her siblings never felt the need to remove their crowns except for bed or bathing. She also brought out her old Narnian dresses, she decided to stop wearing the clothes she had been given by Telmarine women on this trip, they were just too uncomfortable compared to her Narnian ones. Hers were also brighter than the others. She preferred the light blues, purples, forest greens, and gold and crimson colors to the dark, drab ones that they wore. Her bow and arrows were also slung across her shoulders. Her dark hair fell free around her face, blowing back in the light, cold winter breeze. Her red and gold skirt draped over the back of her horse beautifully, thick dark green embroidered winter cape over that.

The first snows of winter had fallen, but the ground was still too warm to keep it there, so it was sludge in some places. They sky was a light grey, not a patch of blue to be seen, making everything seem dark, dismal and forlorn.

Caspian would look over at her with mock envy now and then, because she had insisted that he dress in the traditional clothes of his people's kings. He did not like wearing the heavy crown; he actually preferred no crown at all, or a Narnian one. He also did not like wearing the dark colors; the colors reminded him of everything he hated about his people. He also felt slightly uncomfortable next to Susan, who was in sharp contrast to him. She had wanted it that way, she told him.

"I want it to be plainly seen that I'm your Narnian half, and you make me Telmarine, together we join the two peoples." Susan had said before they had started out.

"What do you think?" He asked now, breaking the silence that fell around them.

"Something is off, I don't know how to describe it, but something's wrong. Those men down there, they're looking at us every now and then, they are still loyal. But those men, over there, see? They look at us, see you, their fine with you, but then they see me, and they scowl. They hate me, not you, it's me." She replied as realization dawned, making small gestures at the moving figures she was speaking about.

"Why do they hate you, and how can you be sure?" Caspian asked, staring down at the activity.

"I learned this move from Peter, he told me once, after we'd come back the first time, he told me, to test loyalty among people and troops, dress in your most traditional clothes, stand on a high place where everyone can see you, and watch their reactions. He used this move several times, in wars I will not mention. And I don't know why they hate me so." She finished firmly, not wanting to go into any more detail about Peter's past battles.

"Interesting tactic. He was a great King; I hope I become half as worthy of this throne as he."

"You are just as good as he, Peter was no better than you at first, believe me, I was there, I know. All you have seen is the king, I saw the boy become the man he is now, and it was not easy. He has lost many things, nothing to be envious over. You must be content to know you will live and die in this country, Peter will live and die in our world, then come to Aslan's Country, and he loved Narnia so." Susan said quietly. Suddenly realizing all that her brother had lost, and how he kept it in, what might her life be like right now if she'd gone with them?

"I never thought of it that way. Though I don't think that will stop me from feeling so inferior. I never told you, but when I first brought all of you to Aslan's How, and the Centaurs saluted to you, that they had never done that for me. I realized then, that even though you had disappeared you were still important to them, you were not like all the other kings and queens in their history; you were unique. None of you were like me, you were called by Aslan, and I was just means of their freedom." Caspian replied quietly.

Susan glanced over at him, but his face was impassive, he wasn't showing any emotions. She wondered what he was thinking when he got so quiet like this.

"I never knew, I'm sorry you felt that way. You are great in your own way; don't try to be like my brother, just be a great king in your own right." Susan said, trying to bring him out of his silence.

"Then why is this so hard for me? I feel as if I haven't made any change in my country, I've just made things worse! And you four were so young! It seems as if you had no problems, I'm older than you were, I should be able to lead better, why can't I, what have I done wrong, what have I done to bring this?" He said in aggravation, motioning at the men below, his voice angry, the emotion behind it heavy.

Susan did not know he felt this way, she did not realize he saw these problems as his fault. She wondered what else he blamed himself for; did he keep many things like this from her, and go about his life as if he was fine? As she sat there, the thought came to her that he had grown up without a father, all he'd ever had to give him advice was his twisted uncle and his kind, but un-influential teacher, could that be a part of the guilt he carried? She wondered if that was why he seemed so far away when he was next to her. Was he looking for guidance, did he see that in Peter? Someone who he could talk to, ask questions of, a voice of experience, perhaps? She knew that Peter hadn't gotten along with Caspian at first, well right until the end they had disliked each other, but that was partly because Peter had been dealing with painful memories, and the shocking blow that Amalia and the kingdom he'd worked so hard building was gone. Peter, a role model for this King? Not impossible, but not logical, then again, she should learn not to reason logically here; the thought made her smile for a moment.

But perhaps he wasn't so much a role model, as a teacher, but that would not make sense, Peter had nothing to teach, he made so many mistakes this second time around, as had they all, that that couldn't be what Caspian was needing. She wrinkled her brow in irritation; this was confusing her and making her vexed. Perhaps Peter could've told her, being a boy, but he wasn't there! She made a small sound of frustration, causing Caspian to glance over at her for several seconds.

She decided to just ask him, she was his wife after all, couldn't she?

"Why do you feel that way? None of this is your fault; there are men out there that are afraid of the changes you're bringing forward, afraid that you might be right! You were not there, you never watched my brothers, me, or my sister, and yet you say that, I don't want you to put us on some unattainable shelf, you will be - are just as great, just as unique. You are the only king ever to try to bring Narnians and humans together, we never did that!" Susan said with fervour, and she meant every word.

Caspian just looked at her, he was silent. He just did not know if he could live up to both Narnian and Telmarine expectations, be what Peter expected him to do in his place. Being king to a people he did not know how to lead was the most difficult thing he'd ever tried to do so far. He did not know how to tell her that so she would understand.

"Perhaps you are right, I think we should set out to find the Narnians before dark, I do not want to lose my way in these mountains after dark." Caspian said, looking up at the towering rims and the sheer cliffs that rose up to the sky. Susan nodded, he was right, but still, as they left, she wondered what to do about the problem she faced with this king.

First Peter, now Caspian, who next?

**{~~~~~~~~}**

Darkness had just settled over the mountaintops when Susan and Caspian arrived at the appointed camp that the Narnian army had erected. Susan forgot to stop Glacier, she was so exhausted. Firstly, from lack of sleep over the problems at hand, secondly, because to ride cross-country on a massive galloping stallion, already difficult to control after days of standing in a stall, took a lot of your strength and thought. Caspian looked over at her in concern, and reached for the white horse's reins.

"Susan, are you alright?"

"What? Oh…yes, I'm just…tired, it's been a long…six months." She answered, yawning behind her hand as she dismounted.

"Your Majesties, why are you here? Is something wrong?" A faun asked, coming up to them.

"Everything is fine; we just wanted to check on everything here." Caspian said.

"Well, nothing to report sadly, except that Archenland is still as faithful as she proclaims; several of King Gretrick's troops have arrived, not from our request, just because they want to fight alongside us." Glenstorm said after the two royals had rested and come to talk to him at his tent after supper.

"Any, spies?" Susan asked, looking up at the Centaur.

"None, we have kept a tight patrol, if there are any they would be hard-pressed to get in. I also -" He never finished because at that moment a frantic Wolf came running up.

"Sire, General sir, riders approaching, seven of them!"

"What? Do you know who they could be?" Susan asked, glancing at Caspian.

"No. Please, as our king and queen, you must be present at the head of camp when they come in." The Wolf replied, trotting back the way he'd come.

When Susan and Caspian reached their tent where the Wolf wanted them to stand, they were startled by what they saw coming toward them.

Two dappled-grey horses were in the lead, followed by two white ones, in the middle was a single dark bay horse, and following that one were two midnight black geldings. It was the riders though, who were the most unusual. Each one wore a dark cape, spread out like a blanket on their horse's rumps. But instead of having their heads covered, they were bare, each had blonde hair. But they had an unearthly look about them because their pale skin seemed to glow, except for one, it was a young woman from her features, she had long red hair, and pale, but normal, skin.

"Who are they?" Susan whispered to Caspian.

"They look like stars!" Someone in the gathering crowd shouted out.

"Stars have come!" Another shouted.

The riders stopped in front of Susan and Caspian, each pulled their horse into a line before dismounting. A young man with shoulder-length silver-blonde hair walked towards Caspian, and then knelt before him, all the others in his party following suit behind him.

"We are traitors to you, oh King. We ask you to do with us as you deem just." He said, looking up at him.

Caspian looked at Susan, his expression would have been comical in another setting, but not in this one, he was unsure about how to respond to the young man's startling declaration, as was she. It was not often someone came boldly before their rulers saying they had betrayed them.

"How have you betrayed us?" He asked after a moment's silence.

"We have done so by following your movements and giving all knowledge we gain, over to a traitor who wishes to see you suffer and die because he does not want all of Narnia united." The young man answered from his place on the ground.

"What my brother means to say is that we were forced by that man, on pain of death, to do what we did, we had no choice!" a silver-haired boy, who seemed to glow brighter than the others said in defense.

Caspian looked at him with amusement; it was unusual to see the boy speak up in defense when they were accusing themselves of being spies. Not something one did in a setting like this.

"Name the man, and perhaps it shall go better with you." Caspian said calmly.

"The Lord Verius, your Majesties, he allowed my fath-" At that moment the young man, who seemed to speak for all of them, was cut off by a cry of shock and joy that came from the large gathering standing behind the strangers. A woman with hair dark and greying around the temples, and a man with thick silver hair were moving as fast as possible through the crowd to get to the young people. All those kneeling turned in their direction, one of them, a girl, stood up and held her arms out to the older woman, tears streaming down both the young and old face in happiness as they hugged.

"Mamma! My Mamma!" She whispered into the older woman's hair.

"You have come back to us! Oh my children!" The man said, putting a hand on the oldest boy's shoulder, and then looking at the others.

"I kept them safe Father, just as I promised." The boy whispered, his voice breaking with emotion.

Caspian and Susan shared a knowing glance with one another. There was more here than one could see on the outside.

"How did you escape him? And you have found Lyra! Durken, tell us, what has he done, what is he planning? You must tell them, I _know_ you know!" The man said, looking his son in the eye.

The young man, whose name was Durken apparently, sighed, and looked away. The redheaded young woman stepped up to him and looked at him with a smile; he looked down at her and smiled back. As if that was all he needed to give him confidence to continue, he turned to Caspian and Susan again, ready to speak.

"He plans to stage an "undercut" as he calls it, where the men loyal to him and his followers will slay those still loyal to you, or those he could not "persuade to go the right path" in the thick of the battle and then he plans to kill you, in a manner no one shall ever forget. Then Calormen will join him, and they shall unite in an empire that is rumored to rival that of High King Peter's in the Golden Age. Another thing, Queen Susan, forgive me." Durken said, bowing his head.

"What have you done young man?" She asked, trying to keep her amusement off her face and look regal, which was getting increasingly difficult with the way he acted.

"I stole an arrow from you, and used it to pin a threat to your bedroom door, I apologize."

"I was the one who wrote that threat, it wasn't all you!" another exclaimed, he had several braids in his hair and around his face, and grew it quite long.

"I was the one who told you to put it there, stop taking all the blame!" another said, grinning, he had short curly hair, and his horse had its head over his shoulder.

"Aside from the interruptions, I don't see why I cannot forgive you." Susan said, bowing slightly.

"Durken, is there nothing at all you can tell me about when exactly he plans to do this?" Caspian asked; his mind moving on to what the young man had just said.

"No, all I do know is that he plans to attack in the heat of the battle, when you and the Queen Susan will be most occupied."

"Pray, what are your names, and is it true what several people shouted a few moments ago, you're Stars?" Susan asked, wondering.

"I'm the oldest, Durken, That's Arran, the one with the braids, he's next born after I, that's Erikk next after Arran, he wants to work with horses, you might find him important as he likes to do mounted archery, that's Zephyr he's most like a Star of all of us, and he's also the best at navigation using the stars in the night sky, Moriah, our only sister, you will find her a skilled warrior with a spear, and this is Gavan, your youngest brother, he's excellent at remembering war strategies, but he's too young to fight, besides, as his oldest brother I forbid him," Durken smiled at his youngest sibling who was looking at him in mock annoyance.

"And these are my parents, Sir Withermere, our Father, he was a Star, and Lady Merit, our Mother; this is Lyra, a very special young woman, who means a great deal to me." Durken finished, looking down at the young woman who stood by his side.

"You refrained from mentioning anything about yourself." Caspian noticed.

"I don't wish to fight, but I shall if I must, and I can remember anything you tell me from memory after hearing it once."

"Really, how?" Susan asked, looking interested.

"Because I worked for a man who cannot write anything down on paper for fear of someone finding it, so I learned quickly, it was better than being beaten like a dog." Durken said, frowning at the bitter memories.

Susan instantly regretted asking that question, her gentle soul feeling for the seven young people standing in front of her who had been through so much. She knew instantly what Lyra meant to him, seeing in his eyes what she noticed in Caspian's sometimes. It made her smile. To smile in the face of death is a great gift, not one to easily come by. To bear no hate against these people was a great thing as well, something Caspian and Susan were wonderful at giving.

If only the world could only see as these kind Narnians do, what might it be like? A thought to think about.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~England, Hendon House~**

Peter was alone more now because Edmund had found something to do. Peter was glad that his brother would stop worrying over him so much; it was getting annoying to the older boy. But to be alone meant memories came back to him in threefold. He sat at his desk in his dorm room, supposedly doing his studies, but the sunlight filtering through the trees outside his window had distracted him. Staring out the window, his mind wandered back to Narnia and when he had returned the second time.

_**A grey wall, then blue sky, grey, blue, grey, then nothing but darkness, they were standing in a cave with light coming from the opposite end, they ran to it like starving men to food. For you see, they were **__**Home**__**. **_

"_**Where do you suppose we are?"**_

"_**Isn't it obvious?" **_

"_**I know that, but I mean, where here, I don't remember any ruins in Narnia." **_

_**All four looked up where Edmund was staring. The ruins stretched to the sky, a once magnificent palatial residence. After standing in the warm sun drying a bit, they decided to climb up into the ruins, perhaps they would find out what it had been if they looked around. **_

"_**I wonder who lived here?"**_

_**Susan hit something in the tall grass with her toe, picking up the small gold Centaur, turning it in her hand, wondering why it was so familiar.**_

"_**I think we did."**_

"_**Hey, that's from my chess set!" **_

"_**What chess set?" He had collected so many in Narnia and in their world after he returned, becoming a master at that as well as sword-play, that it was hard to keep track of all the sets. **_

"_**I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley, did I?" He looked rather cross, but it passed. **_

"_**It can't be…."**_

"_**Lu?" **_

"_**Don't you see!"**_

"_**What?"**_

"_**Imagine walls, and columns there, and a glass roof!" **_

_**For the three older ones, painful memories of how glorious their once powerful empire used to be came to mind, none wanted to believe what was. For a smattering of a second, the castle was rebuilt, and they were standing there on their coronation day, the hall filled with Narnians. Ghostly echoes of laughter from the past filtered through their minds. **_

"_**Cair Paravel…" Peter said, his eyes looked far away with the pain of realization. **_

_**They spent some time walking around their old haunts, remembering where things used t be. Every-now-and-then Susan or Lucy would say, "Remember the Winter Revolution?" or "Remember Prince Rabadash, and Cor and Corin?" "Oh, Arivis and Cor had such a lovely wedding!" But Peter and Edmund remained silent, thinking of all that they had lost, things never to be regained. Edmund looked over at the girls and Peter from where he had been studying a boulder that looked out of place among all the grey marble. **_

"_**This didn't just happen, Cair Paravel was attacked." He said with finality.**_

_**Peter looked over at a wall that was still standing, he walked over to it and pushed, just as he assumed, it slid back from the hidden door. He looked around the ground, hoping he might spot one of his or his sibling's keys to the Narnian lock. No luck. So he broke it, the weathered, rotting wood giving way easily. After Ed gave his electric torch to them, they started down the stairwell. Peter was stunned that all their wealth was still in the Treasure Room, as they had so aptly named it. **_

"_**I can't believe it's all still here!" He said smiling. **_

_**As he was about to walk forward, he stepped on a golden wall hanging, everything had been gold pretty much in their time, so much wealth had they accumulated. He picked it up. It was an engraving of Aslan. He remembered the first time he had heard the Great Lion's name, how brave he'd felt. How…magnificent. Everyone had already run to their chests, but he was slow, not wanting to admit to himself that Amalia was truly gone. He stared at the statue in the niche behind his chest, how could he live up to the king he had been? He was a boy again; could he be anything like he was? Amalia, what happened to you? His mind wandered to the woman he had called his wife as he bent and raised the lid of the gold inlaid chest before him. **_

"_**I was so tall!"**_

"_**Well, you were older then." Susan said with a smile.**_

"_**As opposed to hundreds of years later - when you're younger." Edmund said, trying on armor that was now too big. **_

_**Peter looked at his things, his sword in its leather sheath, his shield, his crown was in a waxed wooden box, his symbol engraved into the wood. He slowly took out Rhindon; it had been too long since he'd held the broadsword. He had become a great king with this weapon. All his siblings turned toward him at the sound of the sword being unsheathed. Peter stared at the weapon as he brought it up before him. He remembered the poem that the Beavers had told them;**_

"_**When Aslan bears his teeth, Winter meets its death…."**_

"_**And when He shakes His mane, we shall have spring again." **__**Everyone we knew…Mr. Tumnus and the Beavers…..there all…gone." **_

_**It hurt Peter to look at Lucy, knowing what had happened, that they had probably died protecting this castle. He was glad she never mentioned Amalia. That would've broken him, this way he could pretend to be strong for them, no matter his pain. He made the choice, hide the pain, and go on as if he felt nothing. **_

"_**I think it's time we find out what's going on here." He said, looking at them. He was their leader; he could continue leading, never give in. **_

**(******)**

**After coming back from the castle raid Peter was angry. That failed because of some emotionally driven Telmarine, **_**who**_** he had been trying to help, why had he not just done what he'd told him? Peter didn't like coming back and having to rebuild from scratch, at least he'd still had loyal Narnians. He was lost, without Aslan, without Amalia, why was Aslan doing this to him? **

"**Susan, what have I done to cause Him to do this?"**

"**Peter, I can't tell you, but you must think of something to do about Miraz, you've cost us with this failed raid. Think about something other than your wife, please?" Susan said, looking at Peter directly. **

**Then they heard Edmund yell something about Jadis, and Peter ran off into the great room with the carving of Aslan. After he'd pushed Caspian out of harm's way, and stared at the Witch, he realized that the words she said made sense, he couldn't do this alone, not without knowing what had happened to Amalia, not the way he was now. He was glad when Edmund destroyed that temptation. Peter felt guilty for nearly giving into the nightmare that plagued his little brother. Edmund had become an excellent swordsman using the Witch's moves, trying to kill her terrible memories with things she'd done, buy using them for good. **

**In that battle, he realized that he could trust Caspian, they were more alike than he'd thought before, perhaps that was why Peter had disliked him, he saw too much of himself in the other young man.**

**Peter remembered standing out on the ledge of the How, looking at the stars, and thinking of many things; of everything in his Narnian past, the good and the bad, his beginning and his end….**

**{^^^^^^}**

**When they had prepared to die, Peter realized that he didn't care what happened back home if you died here. This was where he belonged; he would rather die staring at, or fighting under, a blue Narnian sky. Her green grass under his feet. This was Home. It always would be. **

**He would never forget Caspian and his expression when the trees started fighting as well. A look of, "Is this right or wrong? Whose side are they on?" Everyone cheered, knowing Queen Lucy had made it through after all. **

"**Lucy." He told the Prince, meaning, "it's fine, it might not look it, but it's fine." Peter never told him sorry, he didn't know how. That was something High King Peter never did.**

**(#########)**

**In the end, before they'd left, Peter remembered talking to Aslan, everything they'd talked about, everything that had happened, and about never coming back. He asked about his children, what had happened to them, who had they become? In the end, Peter silently stared into the Lion's gold eyes, his soul asking desperately **_**"why?"**_** but it was in vain, Aslan had no answers for him; it was the way things had happened. It could not be changed. The Great Lion lowered his head in sadness for a moment. It hurt him to know Peter was suffering. **

"**I am so sorry, Son of Adam, I only wish I could do something more, but, all I can leave you with is this. In your world, I have another name, you **_**must**_** learn to know me by it, and perhaps your pain will be less, and your burden lighter, because you have given it to me."**

**He left the blond-haired young man staring off into the distance, his pain something the lion could understand, and knew of, but could only help with if the young man would let him in…. **

Peter was woken out of his reverie by the door slamming. Startled, he looked over to see Edmund walk in.

"What happened?" He asked, trying to recover himself.

"Nothing, everyone 'oohs' and 'awes' as if I'm some sort of magician with the blade of something! I don't know why they do that, it irritates me, they all could be as good as I, if only they'd put some heart into their fighting!" Edmund said, lying across his bed.

"Ed, you might not realize it, but no one will ever be as good as you. You are just better, as I'm better at leading people. It comes naturally to you." Peter said, turning back to his studies, putting depressing memories away from his mind, he needed to learn this.

"You were thinking about Narnia, and _her_ again weren't you? You always say things like that when you have." Edmund asked softly, thinking about Narnia now himself.

Both boys were quiet, their memories of different things. Peter's of a love lost. Edmund's of a darkness that had so easily beset him, a hole he was still trying to climb out of. Memories are…strong things. I do not know what more to say.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

**What do you think? Looking at reviews I was asked if I liked long ones. My answer; Yes. I love long reviews! they tell me what needs fixing, makes me think that I'm impacting my readers, making them think about things. I love long reviews, **

**ILoveFanfiction, did I do what you asked? I hope this is what you wanted, that was a really good idea by the way! I loved it! **

**A few things:**

**What I'm trying to get across with Caspian's lack of self-esteem, is that he's trying to find someone to trust in, someone he can look to and think; "I can do that, I like what he did." I noticed this in the movies, it's like... I don't really know how to describe it! {**Darn, I hate that!**} **

**I'm trying to point out that both he and Peter suffer from the same thing, they're lost, needing someone stronger than they to lead them they need to find Aslan. I shall go into that more in following FFN stories.**

**Susan seems to be the confidant of two Kings, first her brother, now Caspian. I'll get into that, I promise! **

**{**I know I'm forgetting tons of stuff! I'll remember tomorrow, after I reread this chapter!**} **

**If you have any more questions, leave a review, or PM me, I'll respond as soon as possible! ~ W.H.1492 **


	7. One More Day

**Chapter 7: One More Day**

_**~Narnia, several hundred years before King Caspian X ~**_

The tall young man walked quietly down the hall of Cair Paravel and stepped out onto the balcony facing the ocean, and the sunrise. It had been nine years since That Day. He stared off at the slowly lightening sky. He sister asked him once, when she'd caught him out here, why he watched it rise above the ocean. He told her that he thought best at this time. That was not entirely untrue. He did think best around this time, in the silence. But the real reason was that night turning into day was his biggest fear.

It took him from a boy to a man in one sunrise. The Dawn that brought The Day left him with hundreds of soldiers waiting to follow him into battle against a great evil. It left him without Aslan to ask questions of. It left him with so many doubts. But it left him a true King. A great King worthy of being followed, even though he was "just a boy" back home in his world. He preferred this world to that of his own, but he would never tell anyone that. This was just one more day like all the rest, nothing to worry about.

He closed his blue eyes for a moment as the gentle, salty ocean breeze washed over him. It ruffled his blonde hair and relaxed him. It whispered of a now free, stronger Narnia. When he opened his eyes again, the sky was lighter than it had been, seeming to brighten the edges of the sea its light now touched. How he wanted to sail to the end of the world and seek out Aslan and ask him a question, but that was not to be, he had too many responsibilities to look after here. In a country that was reviving from a freezing Hundred Years Winter, he needed to be here. Recovery was slow inside Narnia's people, thought it seemed to go quickly on the outside appearance.

Nine years you'd think a long time, but to many Narnians, the scar of Jadis was still barely healing. Loved ones lost to her wickedness, families torn apart forevermore because her snow and ice penetrated their hearts as well as their land. His sister, the Queen Susan, had arranged a party or something in a small village just north of Glasswater Creek, and she wanted every one of her siblings to come, he could not get out of this this time using the "I'm too busy" excuse. She had made sure of that. He scowled at the view, why did she always force them to do stuff like this? He hated parties, gatherings and balls. They bored him to no end.

Give him a book, a parchment to review and sign, edicts to work on, designs to sketch or a battle strategy to work out, and he could do those things with a passion, but festive occasions, he'd do everything at them except fall asleep. He hated to walk around, all the single young ladies following him gushing about nonsense, and having to answer and reply to all their stupid comments or fawning's.

He asked his sister about this once, asking her why; she was a girl, what was their _problem_? She had told him that they did so because they found him handsome, dashing, brave, and most likely, they wanted a husband. "Why do they have to pick me?" He'd asked; "there are hundreds of other men out there, I'm one of many." She just smiled. "You figure it out, you're a king." And she walked off, leaving him confused and slightly out of sorts. After that she would bring up the subject of marriage, and the fact that he needed to marry someday. He disliked thinking about that. He also dreaded this spring festival, scowling at the newly risen sun again; it always brought him annoying or horrible complications, rarely anything good. He walked off; he had to prepare for this trip. However boring it might be.

**}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

**~The Spring Festival~**

Peter smiled and nodded to his subjects as he and his siblings rode through the streets in the town after they arrived. Edmund was just behind him, Lucy was next to Ed, and Susan, as High Queen because he was unmarried, rode next to him, her snow-white stallion prancing and bobbing slightly to the side in excitement at the noise and crowds lining the street. Ed's black battle stallion had run into his blood bay war horse twice because the noise was making it nervous. Lucy was smiling and waving in genuine happiness from atop her gentle palomino gelding. Everyone except Lucy was annoyed or stressed because they were doing everything they knew to keep their stallions under control. It was all they could do just to keep them in straight lines.

"I told you we shouldn't have ridden them into town!" Peter hissed angrily to Susan while he reigned in his stallion, Fire, abruptly to stop the big animal from trotting over to a fruit cart decked with garlands and displaying red apples.

"I know, I'm sorry, but you know as well as I do that -" She stopped to wave and smile at a woman with her small children. "- That our usual horses would not have stood the strain of travelling from Cair Paravel to here." she pulled Ice's head back sharply when he tried to nip at a child's outstretched hand.

"Ed seems to be having just as much trouble with Night." Peter said, glancing back briefly when his brother's stallion bumped into his horse again.

"At least Lucy is riding Day, so we don't have to worry about her." Susan said through her fake smile.

"Whatever, let's just get this over with." Peter said on a low voice as they finally arrived that the square and dismounted.

"Alright, I'd hate for Ice to injure someone, he's having a terrible fit." Susan said, stroking the massive white horse's head lovingly. In spite of the situation, Peter smiled.

"That is the only male companion you love, isn't that true? He's the reason you refuse all those suitors, correct?" He crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.

"No. Well, yes, none of those snobbish men liked you, isn't that right Icy?" Susan cooed to the horse in answer to her brother's question. The stallion nudged her in the chest gently.

"They didn't take a fancy to him because he hates everyone but you. I still think I should've had him destroyed as a colt, Fire wasn't meant to be a sire." Peter said after he tried to get close to the stallion and the beast nearly kicked him. Susan had fallen in love with the colt that Peter's stallion Fire had accidentally sired when the red war horse jumped the broodmare's fence. Peter regretted ever allowing her to see the thing. The white horse loved and respected only her, and tried to kick or bite everyone else.

"Come, we need to go greet our subjects, and then leave, _quickly_." Peter said, taking her arm in his and escorting her to the square where several people were dancing. Susan laughed.

"I know the girls scare you, but think of them as the enemy to be conquered; perhaps you shall find them a little less fearsome if you pretend like that." Susan moved off to find one of her many friends. He was not scared! He, just, didn't like them.

He watched several dancers for a moment before he noticed a girl who danced far more gracefully than several other women in the crowd. Her long hair fell around her as she danced, shining in the sun like copper, a wreath of mint leaves and rosebuds adorning it. Her eyes were closed and she was smiling softly as she twirled and pirouetted. She was beautiful, but that wasn't what captivated him, it was the look of happiness on her face as she danced in simple grace. Her light blue skirt billowed out around her as she twirled once more before the end of the dance. Peter grinned when he noticed she was barefoot.

Several other young women that looked to be her age stared at her with disapproval and whispered to one another after they stopped dancing too. The girl looked away, her smile disappearing. He started walking over curious about the barefoot maiden and wondering why they didn't like her.

Amalia looked away from the other girls; why did she seem to do everything including dance wrong? It wasn't fair, she loved to dance! They all frowned down at her because she was supposed to act like a proper lady, but whenever she heard music it made her want to dance, and she felt that she couldn't dance properly with shoes on. And that was a beautiful song. Her guardian, Lord Ferrell Maranon, told her not to let them hurt her, but it did, she had no friends, which hurt. And no one wanted to marry her; it was a rumor she'd heard for the other girls, because they didn't want to deal with her oddities. She was seventeen, and many townswomen tut-tutted because she was still unmarried.

She looked up sharply when there was a commotion from several of the other girls.

"_High King Peter!"_

"_It's the King?" _

"_Why is he coming over__** here**__?"_

She watched the tall blonde man walk toward them and listened with annoyance to their giggles and comments about the King. But she curtsied along with them when he stopped in front of them. She was surprised when he ignored them and looked at her instead.

"Ladies." He said, moving away from them, and standing in front of her.

"What is your name?" He asked, smiling at her.

"_He has lovely blue eyes, I wonder if he's as kind as they say?" _She wondered, before finding her tongue.

"Amalia, My King." She said, her voice ending in a whisper as she blushed and averted her eyes, realizing what she had been thinking.

"You don't need fear me, Milady, I won't bite." He grinned. She smiled hesitantly back, he _was_ kind. He ignored the whispered jabs about her as he asked for her arm in a stroll around the square.

"Of course, My King." She said, wondering why he wanted to talk to her, all the other girls were much prettier than she, Amalia thought, and they knew where they were from, and who their parents were. Unlike she, a princess unsure of her birth parents.

"You danced beautifully out there." Peter said, nodding to the square.

"I have practiced long and hard, My King." She replied, not looking at him.

"Just call me Peter, adding "My King" to the end of all your sentences is starting to make me feel as if I'm of noble birth, I'm not. I'm just like you, so you needn't feel obligated to do that."

"Alright, - Peter." Amalia said, looking up at him for the first time and smiling. Her eyes were a lovely hazel, which looked bluer with the color dress she was wearing.

**(****)**

Across the square, Susan watched her brother talk to the young lady, she frowned for a moment, but then smiled, perhaps he had followed her advice. Whatever the case, he seemed to be enjoying the festival more.

**(****)**

"You really love to dance, don't you?" Peter asked after he finished dancing with Amalia. She laughed.

"Yes, I love to dance; it makes me feel so free, as if I could do anything!" She said, twirling for a moment in sheer happiness. Peter smiled at her joy in something so simple. He wondered if she was the girl that was rumored around the square to be of unknown royal birth, he didn't care, just wondered. It would be amusing to know she was, because Amalia was unlike any princess he'd ever met.

Suddenly there was a shout from the direction of the stable area where the Pevensies had put their mounts. His horse screamed in fright and anger. A woman ran up to them.

"Sire, your horses are running loose, we've…. tried to catch them, but…"

"Save your breath." Peter said, moving anxiously in the direction of the cries and screams. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed movement behind him. He turned to see Amalia moving toward the same direction.

"Peter, we have to go help your horses, they sound distressed!" She said, looking at him with compassion in her eyes. She ran off before he could stop her.

"Those stallions will kill her and anyone else! Stupid girl." He muttered in concern, running after her.

"Peter, grab the black one! I'll try to get the red one!" Amalia shouted before dodging into the chaos. Peter rolled his eyes, but did as she said and went after Night. He didn't know how she would be able to get ahold of Fire. As he tried to grab the stallions' dragging reins, he noticed Susan running to Ice as well. The white horse came galloping at her and stopped in front of the raven-haired Queen with a toss of his majestic head. He half reared before calming and allowing the woman to catch his reins dragging beneath his hooves. Peter just managed to grab Night's bridle as Edmund came up and took hold on the opposite side and snapped on a lead. Peter noticed his brother was wearing gloves, he nodded at Edmund before letting go as the stallion exploded, bucking and kicking wildly. He heard people muttering in the crowd about a "bunch of Devil horses" but he ignored them, turning to see what Amalia was doing.

She was singing. To his horse. And instead of Fire bucking and trying to kill her, like Peter would've assumed, the horse was staring at her intently, giving his head a shake every now and then, his ears flicking toward the girl in interest. The stallion stretched out his long neck, softly breathing in the girls' scent.

**She smelled like mint, he liked mint; his master would give him mint flavored things that he loved to crunch. This girl was good if she smelled like this. Not like the mean boy who had startled him with that stick moments before letting him loose, he smelled bad, like dog, he hated dogs. **

Peter watched in horrified fascination as the stallion lipped at her crown of green leaves, he was waiting for the war horse to bite her or grab her hair between his teeth and give a hard shake or pull, like he did to the stable boys who no longer cared for him because they feared the massive red stallion. But his fears were wasted; the stallion lowered his head to Amalia's shoulder and snorted. She reached up and scratched him between the ears, smiling as she did so.

Unknowingly the young woman had gained the admiration and respect of her king, a rare thing for anyone to accomplish. High King Peter did not give out admiration and respect like rain fell from the sky, few achieved this favor. No one had ever gentled his stallion without using a bit, bridle and whip. Peter was usually the only one who could go into the stallion's stall without fear of injury. He smiled, before turning to the crowd.

"How did our royal horses become loose? They did not jump the fence, nor would they have broken the door. I want an answer, now!" Peter asked, Amalia standing behind him next to his siblings who were holding the horses by the reins. Night was still jumpy and tossing his head from side-to-side as he only did when he had been severely agitated. Edmund looked at his war horse with concern.

Suddenly there was a commotion from the back of the crowd that slowly made its way forward. A boy of about eleven was pushed to his knees in front of the tall imposing figure of his king. Peter stared down at the boy.

"What did you do to our horses boy?" He asked, a stern tone in his voice, but his eyes glinted with a bit of amusement.

"I-i-i-i-… wavedastickintheirfaces….." The boy said in a rush, his voice petering off into nothingness in fear.

"Speak up, I can't hear you." Peter said, kneeling before the little boy to seem less intimidating.

"I waved a stick at them; I wanted to see if they would run, I didn't mean to scare them. I just like to watch them run." The boy finished honestly.

"What is your name, do you have any parents around here?" Peter asked, not unkindly.

"Tobias, I don't have any parents, they died, in the Great Winter." The boy said, looking away, tears falling from his eyes.

"I'm sorry; I don't have a mother or father anymore either. But perhaps you would like to come to Cair Paravel and learn about horses, if you like them so." Peter replied softly, so no one in the gathering could hear him.

Amalia watched the king with a thoughtful look. He would make a good father, she decided. She liked the way Peter didn't get angry at the little boy; he just talked calmly, and reassured the boy, forgiving him without saying anything directly. Peter stood after several seconds, and the boy scampered off in another direction, Peter turned to his siblings after addressing the crowd and telling them to carry on with the festivities.

"How is my boy? That was quite amazing, watching you calm him, in all my days, I have not seen anyone handle a horse that well." Peter said, approaching his stallion and Amalia, rubbing his horse's neck under his mane. He looked over the horse's arched neck and met Amalia's gaze.

"It was nothing; I just knew I have to get him under control before he hurt himself." Amalia replied, looking down and blushing at the praise.

**}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

Peter spent the rest of the day with Amalia, there shared many of the same opinions, it surprised him. She didn't seem to care that he was a king, nor did she act like the rest of those girls, she was refreshingly normal. When he and his siblings mounted to head to their encampment outside of the village, Amalia looked up at him on Fire from where she stood on the ground. Her hand moved in circles on the big horse's shoulder, his muscles quivering with the excitement of a gallop.

"Will you return tomorrow, My King?" She asked with a smile.

"I believe I shall, I owe you a favor for saving my horse." Peter grinned, the idea of a girl five-four in height calming his eighteen-hands-high stallion when no one else could, still amused him.

"I shall be here." She answered, removing her hand as the horse jumped into a trot.

Peter spent the rest of the festival week with Amalia. When he returned to Cair Paravel, he could not understand why he was so lonely, and confused, he missed Amalia terribly, but he didn't think anything of it, until he had nothing to do. Riding Fire through the forest was stress-relieving, but it also gave his mind time to wander. To Amalia. He was startled to find that he wanted to see her again, badly. Suddenly Fire broke the tree cover. Peter became instantly on alert for danger, memories of roaming Fell coming to mind. He saw a shadow moving among the trees and urged his mount in the direction, his hand on his sword hilt. Fire reared in alarm as a dappled gray horse broke the tree cover.

Amalia pulled back hard on the reins, she knew she shouldn't have ventured out past her guardian's property without a guard, but she had wanted to be alone. She was totally unprepared for what happened when she broke tree cover.

"Amalia?" Peter asked, after getting Fire under reasonable control.

"High King Peter? What – I'm sorry, I – I didn't know, forgive me!" She said, looking nervous. She was flustered by the feeling of happiness that soared inside her at the sound of his voice.

"Why are you apologizing? You've done nothing wrong, as far as I can tell." Peter was confused as to why he liked seeing her. The thought entered his mind that she looked beautiful. He pushed that away, she was just a friend, nothing more.

"So you ride." He stated after she pulled her mount up alongside his.

"Yes. Starsong, meet Fire, Fire, meet Starsong." Amalia said with a smile, patting her mare affectionately on the neck.

"She is lovely, is she a jumper? She has the legs for it." Peter said, studying her mount.

"Sort of, I jump her at times, but she loves to run. Uncle Ferrell, he's my guardian, wants to breed her with another fast runner, but all the stallions I've seen aren't up to her caliber. But let's stop talking about horses, how are you and your siblings My King? All is well at Cair Paravel?"

"First off, stop calling me that, I have a name you know. And yes, everything is fine. Narnia looks as if she shall have an excellent year ahead of her."

"Would you like to race?" Amalia asked abruptly, wishing to end the uncomfortable silence between them.

"Where to?"

"That tree, across the brook." Amalia replied, pointing.

"Fine, but Fire shall beat Starsong, he beats everyone." Peter said, smiling confidently.

"We shall see then, won't we?" Amalia replied, gathering her reins.

Peter leaned over his mount's neck, and waited for Amalia to give the signal. She nodded, and they raced. Neither horse pulled ahead of the other, they raced neck and neck the entire way, jumping the stream at nearly the same time. Amalia broke into laughter as she dismounted to walk her mare. Peter grinned before laughing himself.

"Well, it seems as if Fire has met his match, Starsong as well." Peter said, walking beside her.

"Yes, it does…doesn't it?" She was about to smile again, but stopped and finished softly, looking up at him.

"Yes, has anyone ever told you that you have the loveliest eyes?" Peter asked in a low voice, brushing a strand of hair back from her face.

"No, thank you, I've never had a compliment from anyone before." She replied breathlessly.

Peter looked into her eyes several seconds before kissing her. He deepened it by bringing his arm around her waist and drawing her closer. She reached up and put her arms around his neck, thinking that this must be the loveliest thing in the world. When they parted, he was tempted to kiss her again; she looked so beautiful standing there, her eyes wide and her pale skin slightly flushed.

Mm, that was wonderful…" She whispered.

"I love you…so much." Peter said, realization dawning.

She rested her head on his chest, liking the feeling of protection she felt in his arms. Then she realized that this wasn't just any man; this was the _High King_ what would people say? She was a princess of some unknown country, there were many more women out there that wanted to marry him and they had long titles and pedigrees, and she could never be considered a match for him.

"But you're a King, I – we – I'm so confused!" She said, looking at him with worry.

"I don't care who you are, where you're from, I love you, and no title of "high king" will stop me from loving you." Peter said, wiping away her tears with his finger.

"I love you too, but you know nothing about me, I know nothing about my past! It's not fair! I will be blamed for this; no one will let us be together Peter. Everyone in my village dislikes me, how can I have attracted a king when I can't even garner the attention of a country boy?" She asked, confusion in her voice, she looked up at him, hoping he would have the answers.

"It's not about beauty, I love your spirit, the way you act, the way you dance when you think no one is watching, your kindness and compassion for things that aren't yours and a regular girl wouldn't waste her time over. Your difference in soul is what I was drawn to, not outward beauty, though you are lovely." He said, grinning as he finished.

She smiled slightly and closed her eyes, knowing he would make it alright, whatever happened. The tall young man and the young woman with hair the color of honey stood close together in the meadow for a while before parting ways.

**}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

Edmund was curious; his brother seemed to be in a much better mood than he'd been in for the past several weeks. And he seemed to go on much longer rides lately, returning pleased about something, but also thoughtful. Edmund decided to follow him and find out just what his brother was doing. He followed him several yards behind, trailing for several miles in quiet solitude, speculating about his brother. He and Peter were like day and night, so different, and yet in the same category that they worked well together. Edmund stayed in the woods after Peter entered a meadow, Edmund watched as another horse and rider stood in the field. The ride of the dappled grey horse dismounted and ran to his brother's horse, the figure's hood falling to reveal that it was a girl. She ran into his arms and he twirled her around for several seconds before bringing her closer and kissing her.

"_Of course, he's in love. I wonder who she is." _

Edmund suddenly started grinning, at the idea of his brother being in love, Peter, who always acted as the protector and defender of his siblings, and the calmest one, in love. This was something to think about. Then he started to wonder why Peter hadn't brought her to meet them yet. Not wanting to intrude upon them anymore, he turned his horse back to Cair Paravel. Peter would do this in his own time, he always did.

**}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

"Have you told anyone about me yet?" Amalia asked nervously as she walked next to Peter, his arm around her waist.

"Not yet, I want to bring you to the castle, but I want the timing to be right. I would like Susan to be in a better mood." Peter said, wondering what was bothering his sister.

"If you were told you had to marry, and a wife was picked for you, what would you do about me?" Amalia asked, the thought having been on her mind for several days.

"I would tell them I was already in love, and I'd marry you." Peter replied. Amalia was secretly relieved, she didn't want to be a lover, she wanted to be important to him, and not a "thing" he could have if he chose. His answer made her happy.

They met this way for a year before his sisters found out.

**{********}**

"Peter, who is she? I've seen you talking to that redheaded girl; I want to know, now!" Susan said, her anger escalating as Peter said nothing.

"Her name is Amalia, and I met her at that Festival you held near Glasswater Creek a year ago. What else do you want to know, oh, did I forget to mention that she's outside this door?" When Peter finally spoke, he said the words calmly, walking to his study door and pulling it open to reveal a petite young woman standing on the other side.

"I'm Amalia, your Highness." She said her fear and nervousness obvious as she curtsied to Susan. She looked over at Peter for support, and he smiled.

"I'm from Glasswater, I live with Lord Maranon. I…." She broke off, not knowing what else to say.

"Amalia, please go back out and close the door, I want to talk with my sister." Peter said, coming to stand next to her before moving to look at his sister. Amalia did as he requested and walked out, softly closing the heavy oak door.

"Well, what do you think?"

"That's that princess for Galma or Teribinthia, correct, the one no one knows anything about?" Susan queried, raising a dark eyebrow.

"Yes, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, it's just….Peter, you know you need to marry someone from assured noble birth, not a girl we don't even know which country she came from! And she's what, sixteen, seventeen, I know she's of marriageable age, but she's too young for you, you're twenty-three, you need someone who's your age or slightly younger."

"She's eighteen, and I don't care about uniting countries, if they won't agree to peace, we shall just have to show them the stronger country." Peter said, he would not be dissuaded, he wanted to marry Amalia.

"Fine, I'm just your sister, and Edmund and Lucy are just your little siblings, it doesn't matter if we don't like her." Susan said, trying to get her point across.

Because after Lucy and Susan had dragged the information out of a sheepish Edmund, they had become slightly angry with Peter about keeping Amalia a secret from them for a year. Lucy and Edmund came in at that moment as if called.

"What's going on? Who's that girl out in the hall?" Edmund asked, his brow furrowed, trying to place her face.

"That is the lady Peter wants to marry." Susan said, crossing her arms and staring at her older brother.

"What's her name?" Lucy asked.

"Amalia…" Before Peter could say anything else, Lucy had dashed out the door to go speak to her.

"What's your problem with her, sister?" Edmund asked, playing with a quill pen as he sat in a chair. He had long ago gotten over his anger at Peter keeping the girl a secret, he had his own.

"I just…don't think he should….marry someone who we don't know much about." Susan said, now realizing how foolish she sounded. Love does not choose who to love, same as her brother didn't plan to fall for Amalia.

"When are you planning on asking her?" Edmund queried.

"Next year, after she gets to know all of you better." Peter replied.

"This shall be interesting; I think Susan doesn't want to give up her place as High Queen." Edmund grinned mischievously at his oldest sister. Susan frowned at him. He could be so annoying. She just hoped Peter really did love this Amalia, and it wasn't just a passing fancy.

"Since we cannot do anything without agreement of three others, I consent." Susan said.

"As do I." Edmund said, nodding at Peter.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~A Year Later ~**

Peter and Amalia were walking in the gardens in Cair Paravel near the evening when Peter decided to ask her.

"Amalia, I have something to ask you… Would you like to be my Queen, and trade your wreath of flowers for a crown of gold?"

She turned to look at him, her eyes shining in wonderment.

"Yes….yes, yes, yes! I will, I will marry you!" She said, throwing her arms around his neck in excitement. He laughed.

"I did not think that question would be so well received." He said, picking her up and twirling her around while she laughed in joy.

Susan watched them from a window, wondering what it felt like to be so loved. She wondered if anyone would ever love her like Peter loved Amalia. Perhaps, someday.

Amalia was never anything but kind to Susan and Lucy, Lucy loving her new sister-in-law immediately. Amalia wanted them to help her plan the wedding, she didn't want it to be too fancy, she and Peter both agreed to hold it outside under the blue summer sky. Lucy had called it a fairy wedding, and Amalia had just laughed, thinking Lucy was too kind.

Also present at the wedding were three horses, Fire, Starsong and their foal, Starfire. The foal was a beautiful chestnut. And he was fast. In the days before their wedding Peter and Amalia would stand and watch the foal race alongside his dam, beating her at times.

Several months after their wedding, Amalia woke to find that Peter was gone; she looked around and noticed him standing out on the balcony, watching the sunrise. She stood, her nightgown brushing the floor softly as she joined him. He turned slightly, but looked back at the ocean when he noticed who it was.

"What are you thinking about, My King?" she asked, putting her arms around him.

"Many things, but mostly about you, I was wondering what my life might've been like, had we not met." He said, staring off into the distance.

"Would My King like to know a secret?" She asked, smiling slightly when she got his attention.

"What?" He said, smiling at her.

"You're going to be a father." She spoke casually, leaning against him and closing her eyes as if she'd commented about the weather.

"What did you say?" He asked, turning to face her.

"You will be a father." She said again, her eyes dancing with merriment.

"You're…You…you mean…" He stuttered, shocked, looking at her with concern.

"I'm fine, tired, but fine. You've been busy, what with Susan going to Calormen and Edmund going off to fight Rabadash, and travelling to the North, I didn't know how to tell you." She replied to the unasked question, looking down.

"How long have you known?" Peter asked, feeling guilty for not having noticed.

"About three and a half months now. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." She said, looking back up at him.

"No, I'm sorry; you're my wife I need to pay more attention to you, are you sure you're fine?" He asked; the concern in his eyes once again.

"I'm just tired, and hungry, I would like something to eat, if you don't mind, My King." She smiled at him. She still called him "My King" as a small joke between them, but it was fast becoming a habit.

"I love you, you know that?" He said, picking her up.

"Peter, put me down! I can walk you know!" She cried, her arms going around his neck.

"I know, but I feel like doing this, that's all." He said; his smile infectious.

**}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

Susan, Edmund and Lucy stood stunned for several seconds before Lucy let out a whoop of joy.

"I'm going to be an Aunt! So are you Su, and you'll be an Uncle, Edmund!" Lucy said excitedly, smiling at Amalia and her older brother. Amalia laughed and placed a hand on her stomach. She was happy with her life, she had someone who loved her and a baby to soon look after, and she had never thought her life could feel so complete.

Susan watched Peter with a smile, he seemed calm, but she could tell he was nervous and excited that the same time. He and Amalia looked at one another, love shining in their gaze. Susan couldn't wait to be an Aunt.

**}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

"You have a son." The maid said softly, coming out into the hall where Peter, Edmund, Lucy and Susan were waiting. Edmund perked up from where he'd been sitting, and Susan jumped at the news, however quietly it had been delivered. Lucy turned a cartwheel, even though she was nineteen, and supposed to be a Queen.

"And Amalia?" He asked anxiously, ceasing his pacing.

"She's fine; you can go in one at a time in a moment." The maid said, disappearing once again behind the dark wooden door.

Edmund returned to his bored, slouched appearance as before, Susan returned to staring out the window, Lucy slumped to the floor against the wall, and Peter resumed his pacing.

After what seemed like an eternity to the four monarchs, but was in reality about thirty minutes, the maid returned, beckoning Peter to come in. He followed her into the room, it was surprisingly quiet. Amalia looked to be exhausted, but smiled at him when he reached her.

"Are you pleased, My King?" She asked, looking at him and then down at the bundle in her arms. She smiled at the baby, who was looking at his new world quietly, and pulled the blanket back from his head, he had red-gold hair, Amalia looked at her husband and smiled.

"I think he has your eyes though." She commented softly.

"You are wonderful. You both are wonderful, I don't deserve you." He said, shaking his head in wonderment.

"Would you like to hold your son?" She queried, and then placed the newborn in his arms.

"Finally the sunrise has given you something good." She said, smiling tiredly as she watched him.

"Yes, you're right. Finally." He said absently looking down at the baby he held and wondering how they had created something so remarkable.

"Could we call him 'Lucian' perhaps, after the light that's coming over the ocean?" She asked, looking out through the balcony at the sunrise glinting along the water.

"That sounds like a fine name." He said, as he handed her back the infant, she reached for her little one, a new mother not wishing to be parted from her baby for long.

"Do you want Edmund and the girls in next, or would you rather sleep?"

"Send them in, I can sleep later, they'll want to see their nephew." Amalia said knowingly.

"I love you." He said, kissing her on the forehead before walking to the door. She smiled, she had been right, she thought, remembering, he _was_ a good father.

**}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

Amalia stood looking at her little boy as she watched him sleep. He was a week old now, and she thought he was the most precious thing in the world. Peter came and put his arm around her.

"How are the two people I love most?" He asked, kissing her briefly before she responded.

"Fine, I was just thinking of how great a king he'll be when he grows up." Amalia said, looking at Peter.

"Yes, he will. I wondered if my Queen would consider joining me for breakfast." Peter said, smiling.

"Of course _My King_." She said, mirroring his smiling with one of her own.

"Have I ever told you that you don't look a day younger than sixteen?" He said, his eyes twinkling.

"Yes, and you lie scandalously!" She said, as he linked her arm through his as they walked down the stairs.

**}}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

Two years passed, and Amalia had a little girl that they named Lilianna. She had lovely white-blonde hair and green eyes, eyes that Peter always insisted she inherited from her mother's side. Their love never died nor did it ever grow weak, with every obstacle that was put in front of them, they only grew stronger. In the sixteenth year of their reign, Peter gave her a silver locket with emeralds on it, and her initial engraved into it, along with leaves and vines.

Then several Talking Animals told of the white stag having been seen again after a hundred and seventeen years. Amalia refused to go with them, as she had the children to look after, and Lilianna being only four.

"I can't leave the children, and you'll be back soon Peter."

She said as they stood on the balcony watching the sunrise.

"Yes, but I hate to leave you alone, what if –" Amalia interrupted him before he finished.

"Don't say anything! Nothing will happen, you will all come back, and things shall be as they were. I don't blame you for wanting to find it, perhaps something interesting could be learnt from the Stag."

**}{}{}{}{}{**

"Fine love, but I feel wrong to leave you."

"Darling, I shall be fine. I'll wait here until you come back." She said as he and his siblings were mounting up.

"Wait, I, I…I want you to have this, to remember me, until we see each other again." She said, removing her locket from around her neck.

"I'll be back Love." He said, kissing her before finally mounting Starfire. Fire and Starsong had long ago become old, but they lived on in their children and their children's children.

She waved through her tears as they rode out of the courtyard.

That hunt altered five adults and two children permanently.

If only they could've done something differently, but that was just one day like many, they had thought.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, what do you think? I was re-reading my story and realized that I'll probably never go deep into Peter and Amaila's story, so I decided to do a chapter for them, from the past. There'll probably be another chapter about Amalia _after_ Peter, but I shall have to see!**

**I wondered, did any of you notice in chapter six where Susan wonders about what her life might've been like, had she returned with her siblings? If not, Go look! I did that because I couldn't resist!**

**Bekah, thanks for the lovely reviews! I shall write all your notes down so I can remember them for the sequel to this story. Yes, this one is nearly done {Sigh} I want you honest opinion, do ya'll want long chapters, but a shorter story, or short chapters and a longer story?**

**Sorry there's so much horsie stuff in here, but I figured, It sort of like a medieval time-period, I need to use something for a good reason for Peter to notice Amalia. And you're all probably thinking, why did she put Amalia as seventeen and being unmarried, there's nothing wrong with that! Well, that's a long story, but in castle times, girls were considered women by the time they were around thirteen and needed to marry by sixteen, so to be unmarried at seventeen, for a country girl, was considered, abnormal. But hey, Amalia was waiting for the right one! **

**I have seen five babies right after their born, {My siblings} so that scene is entirely accurate! except for all the mushy stuff, my Mom and Dad weren't that bad! {But then, I wasn't there when I was born, being first-born, darn the luck!} I can't believe all the follows! **

**Oh, yes, Bekah, he does say that in the movie, I'm watching it as I type this, and I can hear him. Don't worry, I think you shall be pleased with the end result of that story, I've started three chapters already, but I shall have to re-write them as some parts don't make sense! I love that part where Lord Bern saves Caspian too, Bekah, I was totally gonna use it! Well, there's probably sooooo much I'm forgetting, but I have stayed up entirely tooooo late finishing this chapter! ~ W.H.1492 **


	8. After

**Chapter 8: After **

**~Narnia, before Caspian X ~**

"Peter, I need you, you can't leave me, your children need you, and your country needs you! Aslan, bring them back! Oh _why_?" Amalia sobbed, collapsing in the garden of Cair Paravel five months after their disappearance.

The Queen grew quiet in the following days, laughter leaving her face, she didn't dance because that reminded her of Peter, she didn't ride anymore because that reminded her of him as well. She could not bear to clean out Susan, Edmund and Lucy's rooms because it was painful to remember them, their laughter and all the wonderful times they'd had together.

**{}{}{}{}{}**

Tumnus and Oreius watched Queen Amalia sadly. She, who used to laugh and dance, had become quiet and forlorn. She never laughed since the Kings and Queens hadn't come back. But she did not stop being a good ruler to her people. It was rumored that the Pevensies had been returned to their world by Aslan, but no one could be sure. Things had become rather dark in Narnia since their disappearance.

The griffons had retreated to the mountains since King Edmund was now gone, he had truly understood them, they said, and they could not bear to be near the palace that the Kings and Queens no longer resided at. Phillip grew tired and passed on to Aslan's Country during the night; he missed his boy, a loss he had been reminded of every day he stared at the castle.

The dwarves retreated to the woods, saying, what was the use of living near the castle, now that Queen Susan, the best with a bow, was gone, and never to come back? They did not like being constantly reminded of their noble, gentle Queen, who, though she did not relish war, or the threat thereof, would stand next to them in the most fearsome of battles.

Oreius missed High King Peter; the soldiers did their duties half-heartedly now that he was gone. They had respected him and knew that whatever might come, he would deliver them, because he was Peter the Magnificent, a leader to be compared with. Oreius remembered every battle he fought with the High King, and he wondered what had happened to him.

Mr. Tumnus missed Queen Lucy; she had been a great friend to him throughout his life, he wondered if she remembered Narnia, and all the people she'd left behind. The elderly faun stood on the terrace where he and Lucy had talked about Aslan, and smiled sadly.

Cor and his wife Arivis, and Cor's brother, Corin, came down from Archenland to give their condolences to Amalia. Arivis cried along with the Queen, without Lucy, Susan and Edmund, she mightn't have married Cor, and she cried because Narnia had lost her greatest monarchs. When the four royal's horses had been found with Susan's bow and arrows, Lucy's dagger and cordial, and Peter's sword on them, Amalia commissioned four gold chests to be made, and put in the Treasure Room, along with their things, so that in case of a raid to the castle, their belongings would be safe. The crowns of the four monarchs mysteriously appeared as well, in wooden boxes with their symbols branded into the lids. No one knew what had happened to Queen Susan's horn.

Prince Lucian asked his mother frequently when his father would return, but after a time, he noticed that this caused her great distress, so he stopped. On his sixteenth birthday his mother held a celebration, before it began, she told him about his father, how he had been a great king, and a magnificent leader, how she hopped he would make his father proud, and that he was like him in many ways. Amalia looked at her son through her tears, the boy looked very much like his father, tall, with the same blue eyes, his hair was darker blonde, but still, she truly saw much of Peter in the young man.

Princess Lilianna remembered her father vaguely, as a tall figure who laughed often and loved her mother. She remembered one time when he carried her around the throne room, telling her that she would someday become ruler of all Narnia. That was her most prominent memory of the High King. She was slightly jealous of her brother, because he remembered more about their father, but that passed when she learnt that having more memories of someone isn't always a good thing.

When she turned sixteen, her mother entered her room before her birthday ball, and told her many things about her father, how proud he would've been, and how happy that his daughter had grown up so fine. By the time the older woman had finished, she had tears running down her face, Lilianna hugged her, knowing that her mother went through a great deal of painful memories to tell her these things.

**{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}**

When Lucian turned nineteen he was crowned king, and Lilianna was crowned Queen, Telmar started to cause trouble between the countries. Amalia passed away a year later because she was tired of going on, life was unbearable without her husband or Aslan. It was up to Lucian and his sister to protect Narnia, even if it killed them. Ten years later it did. They died trying to keep Telmar out of Lantern Waste.

Lucian, a great leader like his father, had earned the title, King Lucian the Brave. The Narnians soon learned to trust in him as they had his father, Lucian would suggest something entirely crazy, but it worked. In a raid or attack, he would always be leading his men, and they would look to him, and, seeing his courage, were able to muster theirs. He fought like a lion, with bravery. Dying as he had lived, giving no quarter, his last moments were of looking up at a beautiful Narnian summer sky, and thinking, _I would not have asked to die any other way._ His world turned black.

Lilianna was given the title "Queen Lilianna the Fair" because of her ability to solve any problem with equity to both sides, each getting something they could agree to. She was called a beauty by her subjects, many men wanted to marry her, but she wouldn't agree to it, declaring formally that; "If loving someone besides One's country causes them heartbreak and grief, like that of my Mother's, than I shall remain unwed, never having to suffer as my Mother had." Some chose to remain ignorant of this, others took it to heart and never asked for her hand. Lilianna was more a warrior Queen than her Aunts and Mother, having to be really, in the times Narnia now lived in, relishing battles, enjoying the thrill of a well-one victory.

Lilianna watched her brother fall. She stood still a moment before letting out a terrifying scream of anger and hate for the men she was fighting. A good archer like her Aunt, arrows flew left and right as she killed Telmarine after Telmarine in her anguish at losing her only living relative left. _My brother is gone. Lucian is dead, the King is dead. _The thoughts entered her mind as she slashed a soldier through the stomach with her short sword. She screamed like a tigress as her hair was pulled from above, looking up into dark eyes, her mind registered that this was their king, a heavy-looking crown on his grey head. She was dragged a few feet by the man on horseback before he plunged a dagger into her chest.

She stared at the man, smiling as she pulled out the dagger and threw it away from her. She stood unsteadily for several seconds, blood soaking through her light-yellow colored dress.

"For Narnia…..and for Aslan…..forgive him Aslan, he knows….not what…..he has done." She coughed, looking at the man with pity in her emerald green eyes, for he would never get to Aslan's Country, this she knew. She turned her face to the warm sun before she toppled to the ground; her long white-blond hair fell around her, the sun shining down on the fallen Queen.

Even though Narnia had lost its King, Queen and their General Oreius, they won against the Telmarines. That same day news was flown to Tumnus at Cair Paravel that they had died. He quickly set about hiding all the great portraits of the royals in the hidden chamber in the Treasure Room. Twenty-eight portraits, one hundred tapestries, statues of assorted things, chests of documents and important papers, and a chest of all Queen Amalia's belongings were locked away. Tumnus left the key on the statue of armor guarding the entrance. The Treasure Room was filled with all the mass wealth that Narnia had claimed in her great Golden Age. Narnia stayed free, and without another ruler, for twelve years before King Caspian the Conqueror crossed the border, with catapults. The Old Narnia was lost as Cair Paravel fell to the ground. The great gold lion on a red background fluttered, torn, to the ground. It was a blessing; many Narnians thought as they fled, that their Kings and Queens were not there to witness the demise of their once-great country.

A new castle, not one built by the Narnian barbarians, was built near Beaversdam, and the Narnians were killed, torn from their land, their homes, many lost their lives as they fled into the safety of the forest, no Telmarine dared enter it for fear of the trees. For nigh on thirteen hundred years this way they stayed, until a Prince came who wanted to free them. A Prince who called back their rulers of old from the dead, it seemed.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~Narnia, Present Time ~**

Caspian looked over at Susan, worry in his eyes, the news Durken had brought was not news he wanted to hear.

"How will we deal with Verius? We very well can't kill him yet, his men might turn on us before we're ready." Caspian said to her once they moved off a ways from the Stars and the crowd of Narnian soldiers.

"I'm not certain; just continue as if we don't know perhaps?" Susan suggested.

"I suppose that is the only option we're open to at the moment." Caspian said bitterly, becoming angry at coming to another wall.

"This is not the end of the world, we will do something when the time is right, and we need to be patient." Susan knew that he was frustrated, but he couldn't allow that to carry him away, as it had with Peter.

Caspian turned away and stared up at the winter night sky. "Is any of this even worth fighting for? We've freed the Narnians, only to lead them back into a nightmare."

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~England, The Art of Fencing, Swordsmanship School~**

Edmund scowled. Signor Gloziella was starting to ask questions about who taught him, he knew this would happen. Why, oh _why _had he done something so stupid as challenging the Headmaster? He continued to berate himself as he entered the school.

"Ed, hey, Edmund!" Someone called from the far side of the large indoor practicing grounds.

Edmund turned to see who was calling him, it was Derrick. He nodded to show he'd heard, and waited for the older boy to come over to him.

"Vould you mind, taking a practice with me?" Derrick asked.

"I don't see why I can't." Edmund replied, going over to the wall and removing two swords, wondering how he was going to get himself out of this mess before people started asking too many questions. For being a just and wise King in Narnia, he felt he was making too many stupid mistakes here.

They raised their weapons to fighting position, Derrick gave the signal and they started fighting. Derrick, Edmund had found, hadn't been trained fully by Signor Gloziella, but had studied in Switzerland and Germany, making him quite a master of the art. He had come to England to escape Hitler, Derrick was of Jewish decent, his family lived in America, but he had been studying abroad before the war. As he and Edmund continued to fight, Edmund lost himself in memories of Narnia, his nightmares of the White Witch, and before long he was fighting as if he was in one of her battles again. A cry of respite brought him out of his fog.

"I give! Edmund enough, I give!"

Clem and Finn started over at a run, wondering what was going on. Derrick had never seen someone fight like this, as if he was using every ounce of his energy.

"Edmund, stop, I beg you!" Edmund stopped with a jolt, he was not fighting in a battle, he was still in the school, and he realized with sudden clarity that he had nearly killed, or seriously injured Derrick. He relaxed, breathing heavily; he started to shake in shock of what he'd nearly done. Suddenly he caught site of a tall blonde standing quietly to the side, Peter. He had finally decided to come watch his brother. Derrick rose unsteadily to his feet.

"I've never fought anyone like you, like that. I want to know where you learned, and I believe I deserve an answer after you nearly killing me." Derrick said, his expression serious, his eyes dark.

"I taught him." Edmund watched Peter walk over out of the corner of his eye. Peter was dooming himself; anyone would learn soon enough that he hadn't taught him. Unless Peter played it smart, he _was_ called Magnificent for a reason.

"You, but you're merely a boy yourself!" Clem looked at the blonde boy in disbelief.

"I'm seventeen, is that too young?" Peter asked quietly.

"We'll see, grab a weapon from the wall," Finn said, challenging Peter's quiet, confident demeanor.

"Fine, but before we continue, he's much more talented than I, I taught him, and he branched out on his own, so, excuse me if I'm not up to his par, I haven't practiced lately." Peter spoke coolly.

"Positions." Clem said, playing referee. Before the two clashed swords, Peter smiled, catching Finn off-guard, and easily defeating him.

"Did I prove my point? Because I must be going, and I don't believe I shall be back." Peter said, nodding to them, before he turned to go, he met Edmund's gaze. _"I saved you because that's what I do, don't mess up again, I won't be there!" _ Edmund nodded back, getting the message loud and clear, he would be careful from now on. Even though Peter had made some mistakes his last time in Narnia, Edmund and Lucy still followed what he told them, because he was usually right, and as High King, they didn't question him then, and they didn't now.

How Edmund managed to survive the rest of that day, he didn't know, but Peter had distracted the older boys away from what he'd done, for the moment. He left the school wondering how he could get himself out of this mess.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

Peter walked out of the swordsmanship school and into the cold winter day. He had saved Edmund, as was his responsibility, being the oldest brother. And as return for the many times Edmund had saved him, there were many of those times, and Peter didn't know how to thank Edmund. So he did what he did today, saved him from an embarrassing situation, or saved him from danger. Both, in this case. Peter sighed and looked up at the grey sky, he was tired.

Tired of wondering, feeling guilty, and the remorse that he felt for things he couldn't change, had no power to. Burdens silently carried are the hardest to bear, because if voiced, you fear no one shall understand them. It seems he had kept his promise to his Mother, that day they departed for Professor Kirk's house, he had protected, looked after, and defended his siblings, he had protected everyone but himself from heartbreak.

He crossed the busy street, one of many humans in this world who carry painful secrets, but on the outside he looks as normal as you and I. That is when helping someone gets the hardest, when you can't see from the outside, can't tell what kind of suffering they're experiencing. Because of the normal façade, many are glanced over, it is a pity. For they need our help most, they need the help of someone _more_.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia ~**

The early morning light was grey, and a thick fog hung over both Telmarine and Narnian camps. This was the time soldiers called "the waiting stage" when both sides were waiting for the other to make a move. It was grim, long, harsh waiting. The kind where you only grow more agitated as the days wear on. Soldiers talked as if every day they got would be their last, for it very well might be. Unless one is in their place one can never know this feeling of dread.

**{~~~~~}**

Verius was getting increasingly tired of waiting for Calormen to crest the horizon; he now wanted to take action into his own hands. He met the night before with the other Lord besides Barnireius who agreed with him on matters of state between Calormen and Narnia, and about the new monarchs.

"Why don't we attack now, when they are least expecting it, forget our original plan?" Verius asked.

"But, without Calormen supporting us? Don't you think that is slightly rash my friend?" Lord Ezmanth was starting to realize just how crazy Verius was, and he was wondering if it wasn't too late to switch sides.

"No, nothing is too rash when we are doing the right thing! Caspian is a boy; he doesn't understand these matters of state, especially with that Narnian queen distracting him! I say we act, kill him and all those loyal to him while we have the upper hand, if you decide to go against me, you might meet with an accident, in the thick of a battle, it's difficult to tell one side from another." Verius finished menacingly.

"You wouldn't dare!" Ezmanth whispered, outraged.

"I'll dare anything I please, you Ezmanth, should be careful, this is a dangerous time, we attack in two days, at dawn!" Verius said, mounting his horse and galloping back to camp.

Ezmanth sighed, Verius had proposed sane and logical arguments in the beginning, but now that he and the others were caught up in the thick of his plot, Verius was showing what he really was; a maniac with a thirst for revenge and blood, a crazed and unstoppable force because of the way he had cornered so many victims. Verius was power-hungry, something that would destroy him.

{~~~~~~~~~~~}

A screeching echoed over the early morning silence and down the mountains. It bounced off the cliffs, crags and ledges, reverberating on and on. Soldiers ran out of their tents, wondering what the sound was. Caspian and Susan came out of their pavilion, looking around for the source of the noise. Susan pulled an arrow out of her quiver and strung it, her fear concealed by a look of grim determination.

"Do you see anything?" She whispered.

"No, do you think it's…?"

"No, Calormen wouldn't be so stupid to attack us when we're here in the mountains; they prefer open country, where they can put their spears to good use." Susan replied in disgust.

"I meant Verius."

"I don't think it's either, its sounds more animal-like."

Suddenly, to their left, near the mountain base, some shale tumbled to the valley floor. A large dark shadow loomed toward them, Susan let her arrow fly, not wanting to wait until the thing was upon them to start fighting it, she hated to be at that sort of disadvantage. It shrieked, and knocked them down with its wings as it fled, back up the mountain. Caspian helped Susan up, looking worried; he glanced back in the direction the unknown beast had fled.

"What do you think it was?" He asked her.

"I don't know, a Dragon perhaps? Though, it didn't try to breathe fire." Susan bent and picked up some of her scattered arrows from her fall, and her bow.

"Should we go try to find it, later, to see what it is? Perhaps it's partial to Narnians, and hates Calormen; we could use something like that." Caspian finished with a grin, wishing that were true.

"Why not now? While the fog is thick, no one will want to be out in this fog to ask us anything after this incident, and perhaps no one shall even notice we're gone. Imagine how pleased that would make Verius if he found us missing." Susan said with dry amusement.

"Fine, but we need to return before the day is out."

So, they headed off, both needing to think about something other than the impending war with Calormen and Verius's many plots against them. They cut across gullies, and walked several narrow ledges before they heard the sound of running water. They turned a bend and came to a tall waterfall; it was narrow, not a huge or majestic thing, more like a small brook that fell slowly down the cataracts of the mountain face. As they were standing there, they heard singing over the sound of the water. It came from up above the falls, Susan turned to Caspian, should they turn back, or continue to find the source of the singing?

"Keep going; let's find out who would live so far from civilization." Caspian said to her unanswered question, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Do you see a path?" Susan asked, looking around.

"There's one, near the water." He said after a time, pointing in the direction of a small, narrow, but well-worn path next to the stream.

As they walked the path, both noticed how it had been carved out of the solid rock, soft green moss growing on the side that kept the water running through its bed. When they reached the top, they were met with an astonishing sight. Instead of more grey and dead scrubby bushes growing out of the rock, it was a flat space, covered in green grass. Next to the blue stream was a patch of rich, dark, reddish-brown earth that had been turned over into a beautiful garden, with flowers, herbs, and vegetables in it. Along the sides of the creek several kinds of flowers flourished, the likes of which Susan had only seen grow well in greenhouses in England. A ways away, a natural arbor grew, with trailing flowering vines growing over it.

But it was the occupant in the garden, singing, who drew their attention away from the beautiful picture. She was kneeling in the red earth, her hair, thick, long black ringlets, fell around her and barely brushed the ground as she moved about her garden, tending to it. Her skin was pale even for all the time she must spend outdoors; she was wearing an old-fashioned green colored Narnian dress with gold trim that blended well with her surroundings. To Susan the tune she was singing was as gentle as a lullaby, yet as sad as some of the Narnian songs she'd heard.

"Wind, rain, and desert sands,

Grass, mountains, faraway lands

Brine, foam, the storm toss'd sea,

After a time, you shall come back to me.

Wherever you hither, wherever you roam

I know to me you will come home.

Though your ship be lost, the snows blow hard,

My love for you shall be thy guard."

Susan wondered who the words were for, and then she noticed something that she hadn't before. The plants were growing as she and Caspian stood there. She shared a glance with him in bewilderment. Susan stepped closer, wanting to see just what was making this happen, but Caspian grabbed her by the arm to stop her, and whispered;

"It's some kind of enchantment, look at what she's doing with her hands."

Now that it was brought to her attention, she noticed that the lady was moving her hands just above the ground, and a green power seemed to spread over the fresh earth and into the vegetation. It was odd, and your mind told you to run, but at the same time you got the feeling to stay. To their left, by the stream, there was a shallow splash; they turned to see a doe and her fawn walk through the water to the green on this side. The dark haired woman in the garden raised her head as well. Her singing stopped, and the plants stopped growing as she came into eye contact with them.

Her eyes became wide with shock and apprehension. They were the most startling color the two royals had ever seen. Not a dark emerald green, but more of a yellow-gold green, like the color of new spring leaves.

"Why dare you trespass into my garden, travellers? Tis dangerous for any one man to travel these treacherous crags alone, without thought for neither horse nor guard." She spoke, standing straighter, less scared in appearance.

Her eyes briefly looked toward a small sapling. Susan, looking in the same direction, noticed a broadsword lying underneath it. Not as heavy and long as one for a man, but more feminine, she noted. Susan also noticed how she spoke in old Narnian, from the Golden Age.

"Do you not know who we are?" Caspian asked, wondering what kind of hermit would not know Queen Susan, less himself, since every Narnian had to know about the rulers from old.

"I care not whom you are. I only care that you leave forthwith, as I do not take kindly to trespassers and thieves."

"Pray tell, what is your name, I am Susan the Gentle, Queen of Narnia. And you speak as from an Age forgotten." Susan was glad she could remember some of the way they used to speak, though it was different after lack of use.

"You are the Queen of Old? It has been many a dark night since I have heard tell of that title, but know I that thy words speak some truth, for none but the Gentle Queen could handle the bow you carry. My name is Serene, I speak with the wind, water, trees and sky, and I am a simple Narnian enchantress, My Queen, as my ancestors before me." As the woman finished, she held her hands before her, and a blue mist seemed to rise from them.

"I live here," she continued, "In peace with the Griffons of Narnia; we have lived here since the days of King Edmund's disappearance. As we could not bear to be near Cair Paravel without him. Pray tell, who is this young man with you?" She looked over at Caspian as she asked.

"He's my husband, Caspian, King of Narnia. Have you not heard of the War of Deliverance? Narnia is freed with his help." Susan asked, wondering how she could not know.

"My King, it is good that one with noble intentions is ruling, but I fear that there are many troubles in this new way of thinking. And yes, I know of the war, but was not there, the wind told me."

"You said that you lived here with Griffons, I thought that all those left in Narnia fought with us." Caspian asked, confused. She was the oddest person he'd ever met, trees and water he believed she talked to because he knew of the sprites that lived within them, but the wind and sky?

"No, and yes. Griffons choose whom they follow, many stayed here, few left to fight, they are safe here high in the mountains, and do not wish to leave. But just this morning, Grimspar, one of the younger adults, returned earlier this morn with an arrow piercing his wing. He had lost his way in the fog and landed in a camp he said. It is one of your arrows, My Queen." Serene said, nodding to Susan.

"That was a Griffon?" Susan asked with surprise and dismay. She wished now she had waited to shoot.

"Yes, but fear not, for if you hadn't protected yourself, he might've brought great harm, he is not one to listen well to men." Serene smiled.

"I was just gathering several herbs to ease his pain before I remove the offending arrow from his wing. You are welcome to join me, there are many who shall welcome the deliverers of Narnia." She said, picking up a small basket at her feet that they hadn't noticed. It was full of green plants and some flowery ones as well.

"Come." The basket in one hand, her trailing skirt in the other, she walked through the arbor and down a long hall-like rock corridor. When they came out the other side, they stopped. Caves covered the mountainsides. Serene gave a cry, and suddenly gold bodies of griffons were swarming out of every cave and off of every cliff.

"Serene, will you be able to remove it?" One asked, coming up to her.

"What have you brought, anything good to eat?" a young one, about the size of a large dog asked, looking at her hopefully.

"Garnor, I've only brought things to help your brother, go play!" Then the cacophony of voices and noise stopped as the beasts stared at Caspian and Susan curiously.

"Mayonor, go get Harpsong, hurry now!" Serene said, shooing off another griffon.

"Why are they all staring at us?" Susan whispered to Serene.

"Because, they wish to know who you are. Harpsong will remember you, My Queen; her father was one of the many griffons from the Golden Age." Serene walked away from where they were standing and into a cave.

"Come, I need your help with Grimspar. Harpsong will be along soon."

Susan and Caspian followed her, both slightly uncomfortable with all the staring. Serene stopped and put her basket down on a ledge jutting out from the cave wall. Her hands moved, the glow coming from them turning yellow, and light sprang out of nowhere, illuminating the cavernous room.

"He is sleeping; I shall let him for now, for he needs his strength." She said after lowering her hands where she had been staring into an orange mist, moving her hand in another direction, a dark red emanated from it, causing a book to fly off a shelf and land on a nearby reading stand. The couple watched in surprise as a fire was kindled in a hearth under a hanging pot, and water poured itself into it, the herbs flew into the boiling water, each time the colors of the powers coming from her hands changed. She looked up, realizing that they would be unused to this sort of magic.

"Forgive me, I have not had guests in many a century. I am not used to having to explain myself." She said, manually closing the book before her and resting her hands at her side.

"I beg but one question before I begin, has King Edmund never told you about me?"

Susan and Caspian looked at one another, perplexed. He'd never mentioned anyone remotely like this lady before them.

"No, how would he know you? He did not come to the mountains this last time he was in Narnia." Susan said.

"He knew me in the Golden Age. We were, friends, you could say. In a different sort of way." Serene smiled and stared off fondly into space a moment, remembering.

"He never told us, what sort of friends?" Susan asked, wondering what her brother had kept from them when he was king.

"My dear Queen, perhaps another time I tell _that_ tale, when it is but you and I alone for company, as I don't know if your King will care to hear such a boring fairytale from the old days." Serene said, smiling at Caspian. She spoke of it as a sort of joke, but Susan could tell that the woman meant what she'd said.

"My family have been but wandering gypsies of a nature, we tell stories, write music, and know a great deal of magic. When Jadis took control of this fair country, covering it in eternal ice and snow, she persecuted all who claimed to know magic, fearing lest anyone come to know more than she so as to defeat her. I was last born before your first coming to free Narnia from her bitter enchantments. I was but seven when you arrived in this land, the trees and wind proclaimed what many didn't know, that you four were to deliver us from the Witch,"

"She turned my parents to stone, while I hid with my older sister in a nearby tree, we feared that her wolves would scent us, and we would meet the same fate, but they did not. As I grew, after you brought spring back to us, and you took your rightful seats on the four thrones at Cair Paravel, I learnt my magic; it was unusual to my sister, for I could do many things she could not. I could make plants grow, and create water out of nothing,"

When I turned fifteen, my powers only grew stronger, but I was resting in a glad one day, when a woman dressed in green rags came into the clearing. Pitying her, I created some food and drink, I was foolish to display my magic in such a way, but I did not know it at the time. She said some whispered words, and I felt the life of my magic drain from me,"

A Serene stood there, a black power slid around the room from her hands, the only thing besides the edge in her voice the betrayed her anger and pain.

"My sister could not help me, she did not know what to do, I was alone. So, I learnt the use of a blade, as a way of protection you see, from the roaming Fell. Then, one day when I was stumbling through the forest, berating myself for my fortunes, I came across a great lion, I can't say his name for it uses a great deal of my powers when I do, forgive me, and he promised me back magic, different from what I'd had before, stronger. I was afraid, but the thought of having it back, the ability to do things for others, and talk to the wind, water, trees, and sky again, I quickly overcame the fear. He gave me this magic. I have been this way ever since."

Serene finished, raising her hands and stopping the water boiling on the fire. She returned the book to the shelf and walked through a door in the back wall of the cave. Susan and Caspian looked at one another; this was more than they'd bargained for. Both knew they needed to leave soon and start back for camp, but Susan wanted to meet Harpsong, and Caspian wanted to know more about the reason the Griffons lived here.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

**Ok, what do ya'll think? Should I leave Serene in or take her out? Is she too much? Please tell me, I wait impatiently. (not really, though I do want your feedback!) If you want to leave her in, I can give ya'll the chapter with her and Edmund in it, if not, (by the way, that chapter explains her not ageing, and the reason why.) She is Edmund's secret, ILoveFanfiction. But if ya'll think she's too much, I can give him something else as a secret, and re-write this chapter. **

**I'm not entirely pleased with the way Edmund's sword fighting segment went on, so tell me what you think about that too, I might tweak it as I go along, putting more detail into it and what-not. **

**I know you guys probably think Peter's depression is dragging, but I know what he's feeling, I suffered from something quite like it for a long time, guilt and remorse for something I didn't do, couldn't do, but should've tried to. I understand him. What he feels is what I felt, so just bear with me on that. I was there...I know.**

** The song Serene sings I wrote, it's actually a poem, but I liked its Narnian qualities. (yes, I write poetry, but I'm not some weird closet-poet freak!) it's called "The Roamer" there're more lines, but I didn't want to use them all. (Less Narnian) **

**I know I changed the age gap between Lucian and Lilianna, sorry ya'll! but I realized that they needed to be closer together to rule at the same time. I cried when I made them die tragically, that was the saddest writing I've ever done, besides Peter and Amalia's love story. I realized from reading the books and watching the second/first movies a while back, that Peter possibly could've been married. **

**I know, I know, Susan and Caspian shouldn't be running off like children, but I wanted to give them the feel that C.S. Lewis did, that young-yet-not-young-but-older, feel. I don't know if everyone gets that vibe from reading the books, but I do! (perhaps I'm just really weird?) I also wanted them to take a break from thinking so hard, they're young, they don't have to be doing all this decision-making all the time, I'm sure the Pevensies got breaks when they ruled. **

**Peter was 30, Susan was 29, Edmund was 27, and Lucy was 26 when they fell back through the wardrobe, he's rather old not to have been married for a King. These are they're exact ages when they left, my brother and I, (He's also a Narnian fanatic, just too young to write on here.) well, we did some carful calculations and came to these numbers. Peter being 13, Susan 12, Edmund 10 and Lucy 9 when they entered Narnia via the wardrobe. Just add 17 to all these ages and there you have it!**

**(What I know about Griffons could fit on a pinhead, so no flames, but I will take helpful criticism!) **

**Question of the chapter: Should I have Susan have a baby in this story or the next one? **

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><p><strong>Now, Bekah, my private AN for you:**

**I love all your output on this story, and I'm soooo glad you like the Stars! Yes, I shall get back to them, I promise, (I just wanted to go on an adventure in my mind so badly with Susan and Caspian, sorry! I can be _such_ a child in my writing.)**

**And by-the-way, I didn't really have to watch the movie a ton of times, just clips on YouTube after I wrote it to make sure I got the speaking parts in chronological order. Because you see, I've sort-of memorized the movies. **Looks _very_ sheepish, laughs awkwardly**(I used to watch them over and over because I loved them so much, still do!) **

**What you asked about involving Amalia with the Horn; I never thought of that! I just might do a "before Caspian" chapter about that. {Sidetrack Coming:}Remember that part in Prince Caspian, where Susan says: **

**_"My horn, I must have left it on my saddle - the day we went back." _**

**I always think that was dumb for the script writers to put her in as saying, because, _of course_ she left it on her saddle, she also left her bow and quiver, didn't she? (how else did the Narnians get her bow and quiver back?) and it would all still be on the horse, so that was just not very thought-through. **

**I totally get you thing about the chapters and stuff, that's my feeling exactly. Glad you noticed I asked, I love third choice parties! **

**Caspian was standing on some balcony near the castle entrance, since I don't really know what that castle looks like, interiorly speaking, I couldn't detail that segment, you're just supposed to let your imagination do the thinking, whatever comes into your mind will be fine.**

**The kids will most defiantly be apart of the battle. And yes, Ed is totally kicking himself. I noticed that for all his "Just, Wise King" composure, he's rather impetuous, and runs ahead without thinking at times. I wanted to incorporate that into my writing.**

**Bekah, curious one, you shall just have to wait until the next story before you get the answers to some of your Dawn Treader questions. (That story will be coming soon!)**

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><p><strong>ILoveFanfiction, this is my private AN for you:**

**You really need to stop asking questions about things I haven't written yet, or I'll be telling you about what happens in my story and you won't feel the need to finish it if I tell you all my plot and sub-plots! (Just kidding, your reviews are wonderful, and I love 'em!) **

**Thank you for telling me your favorite parts of the book and movie for The Dawn Treader story! **

**I'm so glad you noticed the Susan jealousy thing in the One More Day chapter! I was wondering if perhaps I hadn't made that clear enough. **

**Thanks for saying that you like the way I'm writing Aslan, that was so touching to read, I'm so glad you think that Aslan is the way C.S. Lewis wanted him to seem. **

**by-the-way, you are very close to the correct spelling, (my version) of 'Amalia'.**

**I never clearly told you guys that her name doesn't sound like "Amelia Earhart" how she spells her first name, it sounds more like this, (let me give you a pronunciation) **

**Amalia:**

**"Am" like "I AM going". **

**"a" like say "ah" **

**"lia" like "Leah" **

**put it all together, "Amalia" I hope that helps! ~ W.H.1492 **


	9. Memories of an Age Forgotten

**Chapter 9: Memories of an Age Forgotten**

**~ Narnia ~**

Serene came back out of the room; she wondered how well Susan would take to hearing about her relationship with Edmund. As she worked and talked with them, she remembered how she and Edmund first met. It was not something she talked of, but she knew Susan deserved to know about her. She couldn't believe Edmund hadn't told his siblings about her, ever! She smiled slightly, Edmund was one for secrets. But then, so was she.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia, the Golden Age ~**

Edmund and Phillip were riding home, when they heard some shouts and cries from behind a stoned-off alley.

"Let go of me!"

"We don't bite, girl."

"Come on pretty."

"Stop, get away, leave me alone!"

Edmund stopped Phillip when he heard the cries coming from over the stone wall he was riding alongside.

"Philip, what do you think….?" Edmund asked, trying to see over the high wall.

"Edmund leave well enough alone. You need to be back at Cair Paravel." Phillip knew Edmund wouldn't listen, but he said it anyway.

"Hush, I want to see what's going on, don't move, I'm going to stand up." Edmund said in a low voice, slowly standing upright on the saddle to see over the wall.

"You should not be doing this your Highness." Phillip muttered, stamping his hoofs. Edmund nearly fell as he did so.

"Will you be quiet, and stop fiddling, be still!" Edmund whispered, turning back to face the scene before him. Phillip sighed. His boy could be so _stubborn_.

Three rugged-looking men stood cornering a girl against the wall. She pulled a dagger from her belt to protect herself, but one of them grabbed her wrist and twisted the weapon out of her hand, laughing as she cried out, his companions guffawed and grinned as if it was something to brag about. Edmund gripped his sword hilt, his anger at the mistreatment of a girl plainly showing. Putting both his hands on the wall, he jumped onto it. Phillip looked up to see what he was doing when his burden lightened, and grumbled in annoyance at what he saw.

"Edmund, get down from there, just because you are dressed as a commoner and not as a king does not give you cause to jump walls!"

Edmund ignored him and unsheathed his blade. Philip sighed as his brave, wise, but often impetuous boy jumped down out of sight.

The men looked up, startled at the sound of metal on metal. They scowled when the dark-haired young man jumped down among them. They had hoped they wouldn't have to deal with an angry father, brother or husband. Maybe though, they could finish him off quickly. Edmund, in spite of his anger, grinned at their uncertainty.

"Do any of you dare to cross blades with me?" He asked, challenging them to fight like men, instead of beating a girl like cowards.

"I'll dare son!" The leader roared. His accomplices murmured their agreement nervously, the boy looked horrifyingly familiar.

"Pity, I was hoping that you might've had some sense to refuse."

Swords clashed, and blades glinted in the sunlight, but before long the bandits ran off down the alley, going back to the hole they came from to lick their well-deserved wounds. Edmund turned to where the girl sat against the wall, breathing heavily from the exertion of fighting three men at once. Dark lashes surrounded luminous green eyes that stared back at him in fear from a pale face framed with thick, black, curly tangled hair. She was dressed like a boy in maroon clothes and black boots. He reached down to help her up, and she shrank back, afraid of what he might do to her.

"Don't touch me!" She said, grabbing the dagger that the bandit had thrown to the ground next to her.

"I wasn't going to lay a finger on you, you little spitfire. I was merely trying to help you up."

"Thank you for rescuing me, but I believe I can get on now without you." She sheathed her dagger, her hands shaking.

"Fine then," Edmund turned to look for a way back to Phillip, having no way to reach the top of the wall from this side. He turned back to the girl when she cried out. While he had been looking around, she had used the wall as support to stand, testing to see if the kick she'd received had injured her. Putting weight on her ankle she found she couldn't stand, let alone walk, and would've toppled back to the cobblestones had Edmund not caught her. He helped her sit down again.

"May I?" he asked, she nodded, the pain made it hard to speak. After examining her ankle for several minutes, he decided it wasn't broken or sprained, just severely bruised. Helping her to her feet after massaging it, he tried to see if she could stand, she collapsed into him again. Edmund, never one for patience, picked her up bridal-style. He was done trying to help her walk on her own when it was clearly obvious she couldn't.

"Thank you, you didn't have to save me, and you don't have to help me, but I'm very glad you did, my name is Serene." Her voice was soft and quiet now that she wasn't so scared.

"I just did what any gentleman would do, and my name is Edmund, Serene."

After about fifteen minutes of walking through the alley, he came out onto the main road of the village, he whistled, and Phillip's head came around the corner of a house about twenty feet up.

"What are you doing with _her_?" the Horse's voice was incredulous.

"I'm not a 'her'!" Serene said defiantly. Edmund grinned, saying nothing; Philip stared at him for several seconds before sighing.

"You shall always be a colt won't you? I'm beginning to think you will never grow up!" the Horse turned so Edmund could put the girl on his back.

"Are you comfortable, Girl?" He asked, wondering if she'd ever been on a horse before.

"Yes, thank you, Sir Horse, quite, I've never ridden a Talking Horse before though, and my name is Serene, not _girl_."

"And my name is Phillip, not _horse_; do not forget, like my boy here has done before!" If a horse could shoot daggers at someone with his eyes as people do in anger or annoyance, Phillip was doing just so.

"I'm sorry Phillip, I've told you that! But it had been a bit hard to remember your name what with everything else you were telling me to remember!" Edmund said in his defense.

"Might I ask; where are you taking me?"

"To a friend of mine, a Griffon, his name is Harpiedes, but most just call him 'Dez' he'll know someone, who knows something about healing, and you can also stay with him while you recover."

"A real Griffon?" The excitement in her voice made Edmund smile, not many people like the thought of staying with a Griffon. It pleased him that she did.

"Yes, a very real Griffon, also a very young one."

**}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{**

Serene was surprised to see that Edmund was right; Dez was young, only about fifty or sixty.

"King Edmund! This is quite a surprise! What do you need, how may I help?" Dez asked everything as if he was truly excited, and he jumped around as a hound might when his master returns after a very long trip. Serene looked at the tall, dark haired young man with interest. So, this then, was King Edmund? The best in all Narnia with a blade, the one who had been redeemed by Aslan himself? Fascinating, she wanted to know more.

"This young lady needs some help, and perhaps a place to stay while she recovers?" Edmund helped Serene off Phillip's back, and picked her up once more.

"Oh, yes! Of course! I shall send for Suncatcher immediately, she shall know what to do! And she can stay here, of course! What is your name? Serene! What a lovely name, my grandmother was named quite close to that, but that is another story entirely! Perhaps for a rainy day? Yes, quite right! Rain is beautiful, but so annoying, getting one's graceful wings wet and clumpy, it takes hours to straighten them!" Dez talked on and on as he led them into his cave. Serene smiled, this stay would be amusing, to say the least.

**{}{}{}{}{}{}**

Serene's ankle healed nicely after Suncatcher gave her an ointment to administer to the bruising. In a week she was able to walk, after several, she could run and ride as she used to before. A year passed and she and Edmund became the best of friends, he told her about himself, and she told him about her sister, and what had happened to her family. He taught her how to better use her slight build to her advantage in sword fighting, he also told her about Peter and following him. She told him not to worry. They both loved Griffons, and spent a great deal of their time teaching Dez's cousin, Joram, how to fly.

"Come on Joram, you don't want to have a human girl beat you! I know you can fly faster!" Edmund encouraged the young Griffon from where he stood on an outcropping of rocks.

Serene smiled as Joram's shadow covered her and Night, the horse she was riding, as Phillip said he would not be part of this. Serene urged the black stallion faster, the wind pulling her long dark hair loose from her braid.

The shadow soon pulled ahead of her, and moments later she heard Joram give a Griffon's shriek of victory as he landed next to Edmund on the boulders. She laughed breathlessly as she pulled Night to a stop, looking up at Joram and Edmund.

"I think that was his fastest yet!" She called up to the two, dismounting.

"I agree." Edmund replied as he took her hand to help her up the last few steps onto the flat space they were standing on.

"Tomorrow Sire, Serene?" Joram asked hopefully, looking at the two.

"Yes, come again tomorrow, soon you shall be the fastest Griffon to ever grace the skies!" Serene said, looking at Edmund with mirth in her eyes.

"Serene speaks the truth, tomorrow friend."

The Griffon jumped silently into the air and soared off. Edmund and Serene watched him go fondly, Joram was well on his way to putting his fear of heights to rest.

"You know, I…." Edmund stopped and just stared at her, as if seeing her for the first time. She had been shaking her hair loose from the braid, a few strands falling over her eyes. She looked at him and smiled. The wind had ruffled her hair and combed through it, Edmund got an urge to touch it to see if it was truly as soft as it looked.

She stepped closer, waiting for him to finish his thought, but as she stood there, waiting, she became acutely aware of how he was a head taller than she. And how close they were to one another. She looked at him and smiled a little, wondering if he was ever going to finish his sentence.

He leaned down and kissed her passionately, putting and arm around her waist and another around her shoulders, bringing her closer. She brought hers around his neck and laced her fingers through his hair. When they parted neither spoke, just the closeness of being near one another was enough. They stood together for some time before he said anything.

"I did not understand my brother, until now. I've never felt this way about anyone."

Serene smiled, feeling rather content to just stand there in his arms. They talked of nothing and everything, as most young lovers do, before parting ways with promises of seeing each other tomorrow.

**{}{}{}{}**

"I do not want to be the reason you can't decide to go with your sisters to Calormen!" Serene joked with a smile, looking up at him from where she lay on the grass. He sat next to her, plucking blades of the new green sprouts. They had been meeting one another in this glad for a year, and they often talked of many subjects, when they weren't otherwise occupied.

"You're not the only reason; I feel that it's wrong to leave Narnia when Peter's off in the North. I love Amalia as a sister, but it's wrong to leave her here to rule alone, being so new to this. I wish Susan could just send him a letter of refusal, like she's done all the other suitors, that or marry him, perhaps then she'd stop trying to marry me off!" Edmund looked disgusted by the fact.

"It's a terrible pity Rabadash won't come here, but I think he fears our beloved Griffons." Serene grinned in amusement, the very idea of Rabadash running in fear of anything made her want to laugh; the young man was such a coward!

"I beg to differ, it's Peter he fears! With good reason, Peter could take ten men, they wouldn't even have to be soldiers, storm Calormen – and succeed!" Edmund looked down at her with a smile.

"Perhaps neither of us is correct, and he fears you more than anything, for you are the best with a blade in all of Narnia!" Serene tossed back.

"I accept the compliment, but many would say you are blinded by love, my darling."

"I am nothing of the sort! I just say the truth." Serene looked away, pretending to be offended.

"What will repair my insult?" He asked, feigning remorse.

She smiled, sitting up and looking back at him. "I don't know, what have you to give me?"

"Nothing, except my love."

"Well then, I'll take a kiss."

"Is that better?" He asked after they parted.

"Much," She replied breathlessly.

"You know, you should wear green more often, it brings out the color of your eyes." He said, playing with the collar of her dress, and looking into her eyes.

"I think you should be speculating more on going to Calormen, and not on the color of my eyes, and my dress."

"Fine, though I enjoy that more. What do _you_ think I should do?" He asked, startling her.

"I know you don't want to leave your sister in-law, but I believe you should go, make Rabadash know he has something to fear if ever he tries to mistreat your sister." She looked down at the grass as she spoke, but her answer was sure.

"Fine then, I go. Though, promise me this, if I should never return, remember me fondly, with no tears." He smiled at her softly; he asked this of her every time they parted. Mentioned as in jest, both took it to heart.

"Forever and into eternity!" She whispered in reply.

**{}{}{}{}{}{}**

She stood watching and waiting, growing more impatient as the days passed and still he hadn't returned. A Griffon had brought her news of the battle in Archenland started by Rabadash, which Edmund and Lucy led, protecting their ally and Narnia from the crazed Prince's thirst for revenge over having been refused by Queen Susan. She knew Edmund had been victorious, but still, she wanted to see him for herself to be sure. She also heard that he and his sisters had found the lost son of King Lune.

As she was about to leave from her daily watching, something made her turn back, and there he was. She ran down to him. When she was in his arms, and found that he was unhurt, her questions flowed like a river.

"What happened? How is your sister? What happened to Susan? Will Rabadash continue to cause trouble for Narnia?"

"We had a short battle. Lucy is fine, nothing is wrong with Susan, her honor has not been damaged, and she's back at Cair Paravel with Amalia. Rabadash has been…humbled, let us say." Even as he spoke, the thought caused Edmund to smile.

"What, what happened? Don't keep me in anymore suspense!" Serene pleaded.

"Aslan arrived, and turned Rabadash into a donkey, it was the oddest, amusing thing I've seen in all my days!" He told Serene everything as they stood watching the sunset.

**{}{}{}{}{}**

"Do you mind me going with my brother and sisters to hunt the White Stag?" Edmund wanted to know, he never did anything unless he had Serene's approval, it meant the world to him.

"Yes. I think you should go, perhaps something can be learned of Aslan, and where he has vanished to. I know the Telmarines have been stirring things up near the border for you and Peter, making things difficult." Serene said, looking up at him.

"I don't know. I have this feeling that everything shall change. I don't think I should leave you."

"Go, I do not want to tie you down. Go, I shall be right here waiting for you to return." She finished in a kind whisper, smiling.

"Fine, I'll go, but if I never return Serene, remember me fondly, without tears, as I shall remember you."

"Wind, rain, and desert sands, grass, mountains, faraway lands. Brine, foam, the storm toss'd sea, after a time, you shall come back to me." She whispered in return, looking up at him with eyes as green as new spring grass.

He leaned down and kissed her with a fire, wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned into his embrace, wanting, longing, and missing him before he even left. He would miss her as well, but perhaps his worry was all for naught, perhaps he would return. His heart told him otherwise.

I think there comes a time in everyone's life where they absolutely hate themselves for being right about something.

**{}{}{}{}{}{}**

Serene knew he would not come back, at least, not in her lifetime. The idea hurt, but she knew it was true. She missed him already, the nights of being safe in his arms, the days hearing his laughter. She would never forget him, not now, especially now. No village would take her in hospitably, not a woman with child and no husband, a woman who knew a great deal about herbs, it was too strange and odd, villagers hated oddities, and they blamed every little thing on newcomers and strangers.

As she walked through the woods, a place she thought best in, she was startled to notice she wasn't alone. A huge tawny body walked quietly next to her. She stopped for a moment, staring, before continuing her walk, she knew who walked in quiet stead beside her, and she did not fear.

"Serene, know it was not my doing which has caused you pain,"

"It was just their time, I know." She finished for him, when the great lion stopped speaking.

"Aslan, It, I…I do not worry or wonder, I know where he-they have gone. I worry for what shall become of me. I cannot live alone, and I…" she stopped when she noticed the lion staring at her with great thought, as if he was thinking about something of weighty importance.

"Would you like for me to return to you the gift of magic you had, as before? Only this will be much more powerful, I shall warn you now, it will slow your aging, and that of your child's, and once I have given it to you, you must never speak my name. Narnia has great need of you in her future, and I wish for you to be the bearer of this magic, and no other."

Serene looked at him, her fear showing only through her eyes. To have magic again. The thought filled her with wonderment. To be able to do what she used to. But a more powerful magic, greater than what she knew, how would she ever learn what to do with it? The thought of helping Narnia, and Aslan, was stronger than her fear, and she had faith in Aslan that he would not do anything that would cause her harm.

"Yes, I believe I would like that." She said softly.

The lion looked at her in a gentle way, before breathing on her. She closed her eyes and the woods seemed to whisper to her, the trees talked of the loss of their monarchs, the wind sighed through a pine on a riverbank, murmuring of the coming winter, and how much it reminded him of Jadis even after so long. The river babbled along its way about many things, ranging from Calormen stories to talk from the village near Glasswater. Serene smiled as the peace of her surroundings ran through her, calming and gentle. When she opened her eyes, the great golden lion was gone, she never saw him again.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia, Present Age ~**

"Mother, Mother, I have the best news to tell you!"

A young man of about sixteen entered the room from the doorway Serene had entered moments after telling her strange tale. He stopped when he noticed Susan and Caspian. Susan looked at the boy; there was something oddly familiar about him. He smiled at them, and it was as if someone she knew smiled back at her.

"Mother, do you mind?" He looked over at his mother for explanation of who these strangers were.

"Oh, forgive me, I was thinking of something from long ago. Susan, Caspian, this is my son, Daniel. Daniel, these are -"

"Caspian and Susan, Daniel, nothing more." Caspian looked at Serene pointedly; he did not want the boy to know. Serene understood the want to be treated as normal human beings, instead of royalty.

"Now, Daniel, I believe you were telling me something." Serene said, smiling fondly at her only son.

"Yes, I was out helping Garnor with his flying, and he flew faster than I've ever seen him before! It's wonderful to see how far he's progressing, and Harpsong says she'll be along shortly, her age is getting to her, but she's excited about something." Daniel said with enthusiasm.

As the boy spoke, Susan watched him with great interest. He had long, dark, slightly curly hair brushing his collar. His eyes were a warm brown, and his smile…. Suddenly it struck her. Edmund, he reminded her of Edmund. Of course! Daniel had a love for Griffons that matched that of Edmund's and he looked more like her brother than he resembled Serene. So, she was an aunt not only to Peter's children, but also to this young man standing in front of her talking about Griffons. She did not know how she felt about having a nephew nearly older than herself.

In Daniel's excitement of telling his mother about his day, he motioned with his hands, suddenly, streaks of light burst through the room. He ducked and smiled sheepishly at his mother as she put a stop to the loose magic.

"Daniel, what have I told you, be careful what you think about, light can be dangerous."

"I know, I'll remember." He said, ducking his head as she sent a flash of her own magic at him, the color streaking from her hand a light blue.

"That's not fair! I was not prepared for water!" he said, shaking his head as some of the water hit him. His mother laughed, her green eyes dancing with amusement.

"Perhaps that shall teach you to be more careful next time." She admonished, her tone sounding more motherly.

"I've learned. Want me to go wake Grimspar? He's had that arrow in long enough. Would…would you like to accompany me Caspian?" The boy grinned as he asked; some of his wild, unruly hair falling across his eyes. He combed it back with his fingers, in a habit Susan remembered Edmund doing when he lived in Narnia as king. So, he had inherited his father's looks and habits, and his mother's gifts with magic.

"I don't see why I can't. Perhaps your mother and my wife would enjoy a moment to themselves." Caspian said, looking at Susan knowingly.

"Just don't let Grimspar's temper get the best of him!" Serene said, watching them go before turning back to her guest.

"I'm sorry; the Griffons….they excite him…as they do me."

"That's how you met Edmund, isn't it?" Susan queried, wanting to know.

"Oh, what? No…" She met Susan's questioning stare, her eyes held a longing in them that Susan had only remembered seeing in Peter's for Amalia.

"He is Edmund's son. Is he not?" Susan asked.

"I had hoped we could…talk about this another time. But yes, Daniel is Edmund's son. How is he?"

"Edmund is fine, last I saw him. But….Daniel…is my brother's _son_. Does he know?"

"No, I did not want to tell him, he would not have gone with all of you to…." Serene left the end of her sentence unfinished.

"To hunt the Stag…." Susan said knowingly.

"Yes. A lover cannot keep a king, even if she loves him more than life itself." Serene said, looking down.

"I'm sorry. I wish there was some way…"

"No, its fine, Edmund told me, it became a habit actually. He told me; _"Serene, if I should go, and never return, remember me fondly, as I shall remember you, without tears"_ and I do, the pain, the heartache, never goes away, but I can remember him fondly. He was truly a wise king." She said, her voice breaking, tears filling her eyes.

The two women stood in silence for several seconds. Susan; with the knowledge of why her younger brother showed such a lack of interest in girls and things of that sort, because, like Peter, he too had left someone he loved behind, though he seemed to cope better than Peter. Then she realized that he dealt with his loss no better than Peter, he just never showed his emotions. He was always the quieter one, next to Lucy. She thought about that with a mirthless smile.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

Daniel was walking with Caspian through tunnels and caverns, the mountain was riddled with these interlinked channels, Daniel told him, and right now they were walking through them to get to Grimspar's cave.

"Do you know anything about your father?" Caspian asked, wanting to know if Serene told him anything, perhaps his assumption of who his father was, was correct.

"I never knew my father; Mother said he disappeared before I was born. He didn't leave her, he just, never came back, as if it was not of his choice." Daniel said, looking back at Caspian briefly, before slowing and walking next to him.

"I never knew my father either. He died when I was a boy."

"But you knew he was a good man, you knew about him, knew what he was, correct?" Daniel asked, looking over at him.

"Yes, I suppose he was good." Caspian said slowly.

"I know nothing about my father; I don't know if he was a good man or an evil one, I don't know if he was a peasant or a king, you at least know what he was, who he was, and have something to follow, but me, I have nothing." Daniel stated the differences between them calmly, as if it didn't truly bother him.

"You're wrong, I have nothing to follow. I am utterly alone." Caspian's expression turned dark, remembering everything that he would have to deal with when he returned to the real world outside of this mountain haven.

"You're not alone, my friend. No, none of us are. For we have something more, we have Aslan. No, before you say what I know you're going to say, I have never seen the great lion, but I _believe_ in him. We are alone in the sense of a visual father, but, Aslan can guide us, if we so choose. I have _hope_ that, no matter what happens, Aslan knows the reason." Daniel smiled a small, thoughtful smile, as if he knew something that pleased him terribly.

Caspian was surprised; Daniel spoke as if he knew what he was talking about. He believed though he had never seen, and that struck Caspian sharply as strong faith in something greater, this boy had something he did not, and he wanted to know more. Caspian wondered if this was what Edmund was like when he had lived in the Golden Age. Quiet, just, wise, and yet, he still acted as though he was joking about something, or was keeping an amusing secret from you.

"Was it something I said? Because, you've stopped talking to me, I hope I haven't angered you." Daniel queried, turning to him, meanwhile absently running his fingers through his hair.

"No, I was, just, thinking. What you said makes sense, how did you come to believe like that?"

"I don't know. I suppose it was the fact that I was afraid to live forever. I've lived longer than anything in Narnia, I age slowly, and I was afraid to see the end. I felt, so alone, as you say you feel," He paused for a moment before continuing.

"I will never marry, never have family besides my mother, because I would outlive them, they would age and I shall not. And the day I do see Aslan, is the day I die."

Caspian's eyebrows rose in question. Daniel proceeded to tell him why.

"Because I live through the magic I bear, and I shall have to give that back to him in the end, when the time comes, everything goes back to him, for he created it. I needed to trust in something greater than I. Something that would know more than I, and so, I trust him, because one day, I shall be in his country for all eternity. And life without Aslan is not worth the living if you live alone and lost in your soul."

"I know in my soul, that Aslan is the only thing to believe in, the only road to follow, the only light in my life, even when at times it's hard to tell, and so, I am not afraid to die."

"I know who you are, Caspian, and I know that Aslan has planned something great for you, you are destined for it. In this I believe. Narnia and Telmar will not unite themselves."

"How did you know?" Caspian stopped and looked up at him, startled.

"You are hard to not know about. Every living thing in Narnia whispers about you, how you brought back the Kings and Queens of Old, and how you've freed her from the bonds of deception and evil." Daniel said matter-of-factly, crossing his arms and standing in front of him.

Caspian had to smile, he liked this boy, Daniel was very much like the Pevensies. He believed like Lucy, was practical like Susan, wise like Edmund, and brave like Peter. It was an interesting combination. It made him wonder what Peter's children were like.

"Come, we need to go, Grimspar needs to be woken." Daniel turned and started walking forward again.

Caspian had learned something today that changed his outlook on his life. Aslan knew. Aslan was to be believed in. Aslan was _forever_.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well, What do you think? **

**OK, about Daniel, if you don't like that I've portrayed him as Edmund's son, I have another chapter written where he's just Serene's sister's descendant. I wasn't originally going to make him be his son, but I wanted him to have something in common with Caspian, something that would start them talking, something that they shared. And so, I thought, why not show Daniel as not having/not knowing a father? From what I get from the films is that Caspian had a struggle with that, noticed mostly in the third film. **

**Daniel is like Lucy in that he just ****believes****, and he hasn't seen, like she did in the first film. Lucy hadn't seen Aslan, but she knew that she wanted to be near him. She had ****hope****, which gave her ****faith****. (That's what this story is mainly centered around) **

**He's like Edmund in the fact that he stated ****wisely**** what he and Caspian do have in place of an earthly father. **

**Like Susan, in that he was ****practical**** about his situation without being ruff or hateful about it, I've noticed that Susan is very practical at times. **

**Like Peter in the fact that he's ****bravely ****telling a King, "Hey, just because times are bad, doesn't mean you have to lose focus on the all-important." (Something I see Peter telling Caspian if Peter was more like the King he was in the first film, I believe it took him a while to find that middle ground again, and by the time he had, he was leaving) **

**I'll get into Serene and Daniel's magic thing in the battle coming up, so don't worry. **

**In the flashback I couldn't help but put Phillip in, I love that horse! I tried to make him like the character in the film, skeptic, ornery, and very loyal, even though he complains. When I made Phillip say that Edmund was dressed as a commoner, what I meant was that he was just dressed as an average person, not like he usually did in the castle. **

**I don't know, I think I took Edmund's character and made him too much my own in that flashback, I can always rewrite it if I, or you guys have problems with that. (I wasn't really going for the "take-the-characters-and-make-them-my-own" thing in this story. I was just trying to build up around them, leaving them as much themselves as possible.) **

**What I was trying to get at when Edmund would tell Serene that; "Remember fondly" bit, was that they were better prepared to never see each other again. They both knew that even if they never saw one another again, they would be together in Aslan's Country. **

**I know, no Peter or Lucy or Edmund from our world. I know I didn't put them in, but the next chapter will be mostly about them in our world. **

**This is my favorite line: **I think there comes a time in everyone's life where they absolutely hate themselves for being right about something. **I just really like it, I think because I've had that experience. **

**Question of the chapter: What country do you guys think I'm from? Just curious. **

**Word count in this chapter, excluding the A/N: 5,217.**

**I'm writing the next chapter, if my internet stays back I shall UD sooner, but I doubt that. Sucky internet providers.**

* * *

><p><strong>Bekah:<strong>

**I had never heard of the Narnia Confessions site, and I hadn't seen your reviews until today when I got internet back, and strangely enough, I went to Pinterest first thing, and there was a Narnia pin from that site, and what do you know? you mention it in your review!**

**and yes, I have gotten on NarniaWiki, but only to get my Narnian facts correct. **

**No I was not planning to have Lilianna quoting scripture, but now that you point it out, I'm shocked, I wasn't planning it that way at all! (It was an accident, I was merely trying to show how she wasn't angry or anything at the King, she was sad for him, in the fact that he would never get into Aslan's Country.) **

**I am not angered in any way! In fact, the next chapter shall have some serious Christian-themed settings, having to do with Peter. **

**Serene can do more than just plant-related-magic, but I shall go into that later.**

**I know what you mean about Peter showing up at the perfect moment, but what I shall get to in later chapters is that he'd been coming every day, but Edmund noticed him this time because Peter made himself known. **

**(This is supposed to be just an Author's secret, but I'm telling you anyway; Peter tells Edmund about going to watch him every day.) **

**Ed gets out of that situation in a very interesting manner! By the way, the hint that this story is coming to an end is that I'm going to start focusing on Edmund and Lucy more, Peter less. I shall still go into his problem, but it shall be more younger-siblings-related. **

**I'm glad you feel for Amalia, I wanted my readers to get that vibe, glad it got across! **

**I'm trying to get you to see the Pevensies as humans that feel, in the movies and books they didn't seem to have that _atmosphere_, I didn't get that feeling that they _missed_ Narnia**** so to speak. You can't walk away from something and be just the way you were before._ That's _what I'm trying to portray. **

**About Susan, yes she shall have a baby after! Not during that battle, that would never work! Not so much because of the morning sickness, some women don't get that sort of thing, my mother being one of them, but more along the lines of she wouldn't be wanting to fight. **

**I hope I answered your questions satisfactorily! ~ W.H.1492**

* * *

><p><strong>ILoveFanfiction:<strong>

**It wasn't bothering me, I think I didn't make that very clear, I love your questions, it's just that ones about the next books and movies shall have to wait till the next FanFic story I write in this quintet. Yes, I'm going to write about all the rest of these books after the last film, but questions about those stories shall have to wait, is that a bit easier to understand? I hope it is, sorry I wasn't clear before, but I get carried away, or sometimes I don't know how better to explain myself on paper and not speaking!**

**Serene plays a very important part! I hope you don't mind her having a son! As I said, I can always change that! **

**I'm glad you liked the swordplay incident, I suppose I shall leave it. I just wanted Peter to come in and act older brother-ish, and like he might've in Narnia when they ruled, you know, kind of in charge, and all: **

**"I take care of you, that's my job"**

**Type person, because that's the vibe I get from him. **

**Peter won't have an easy recovery, but in the next chapter something will happen to point him on the right path, but **WARNING** it's very Christian, I hope that doesn't other you. What happened to me is a long story, but to make it short, I lost someone like Peter did, I know what he feels, but there is a way past that grief. I found it, he shall too, slowly, but he shall. Many thanks for your condolences, that was very kind of you. **

**I have looked up all the actors as well! **

**There are never too many questions! Yes, after this battle is what I was shooting for, I just wanted your opinions. God bless you too! **

**I believe I have answered your questions and curiosities! ~ W.H.1492**


	10. Life Goes On, Regardless

**Chapter 10: Life Goes On, Regardless**

**~ England, Hendon House ~**

Peter stared out the window at the rain. The grey rain matched his aimless, directionless, lost, tired soul. It was days like these that made him feel as if nothing had changed inside himself, even though he felt better at times. The rain, it was truly the canvas for pain and loss. He couldn't put his mind to his school or his books when he felt like this.

Life should stop when one's spirit did. It wasn't fair to have to go on torturing yourself over something that you couldn't change. Why did no one understand? Why can no one see? How could someone understand another person's loss? Why do they say they do, when they don't? I cannot write it down for you, I cannot describe this unfathomable _ache_…. Perhaps if I placed you in a grey room and gave you nothing but grey and black to look at and deal with, and took away the colors, perhaps then you might…..

feel….

this….

_Nothingness….._

of _loss_….

**{~~~~~~~~~~~}**

Edmund walked along the street, away from the school of swordsmanship. He was sick of this wandering feeling. He wanted to feel whole again. He wanted to be in Narnia. It wasn't fair! _Life_ wasn't fair! No one cared about how he felt, and there was no one to tell. He hated feeling this way. It was starting to get to him after all the rain.

The rain reminded him of the day in that house….

The day all their lives changed.

The day Lucy walked into a wardrobe and ran back to them, telling tales of a magical land. A land he almost betrayed. The place where he nearly lost himself to an unfathomable darkness. Where they became great rulers, all because of a little girl who had faith in something they could not see. How foolish he felt after he got into the world himself. Perhaps it was because a small part of him wanted to believe that there was a land in there, a place far better than his world, but perhaps it was something more calling to his lost, wandering soul.

"_Remember fondly…."_

**{~~~~~~~~~~~}**

Lucy wanted to go back to Narnia and be with Aslan something terrible! She wished he would call them quickly. This world of hers was nice, at times wonderful, but it was nothing without Aslan to brighten its corners. He was the softness in the rain, the silver around the grey clouds, in the water running along the gutter in a myriad of colors. He was in the wind that blew through the leafless trees with the promise of spring after the snow. She saw him in everything and nothing, because she had faith in someone greater than her, who would do what was best, even though it hurt for a time.

Because Lucy knew something her brothers did not. Life goes on, regardless, it doesn't stop when you fall or injure yourself, physically or emotionally. But there is someone who does stop to comfort you when you became saddened, or frightened over something. He was more than just "Aslan" he was the confider of her problems, the carrier of her burdens, and she believed in him, because, what was this life if not for Aslan? If you have lived all your life, and never find him, than you have lived in vain. She hoped she could help her brothers find this. With Aslan in her heart, she knew she could do anything.

She was….valiant.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Durken looked around at his sleeping siblings. They had been given a place to sleep, which he thought kind. He wondered what Verius' reaction would be when they were reported gone. He shuddered with memories of the man's reactions to bad news. Absently, he reached down and rubbed his injured leg, it still gave him problems at times.

He relaxed and lay back down. His siblings had felt at ease enough to take off their capes, vests and boots, but he was still so used to being woken for something that the habit of dressing for sleep was all but forgotten. He sighed and looked up at the fabric of the tent, wondering why the King and Queen were so merciful.

He mind was haunted with Verius, the man no longer had his hold on them, but nightmares never go away. He wondered if he'd ever feel normal again, he hoped his siblings would. To be the oldest, you feel this sort of responsibility for your siblings, an almost parental feeling. You want to protect them from everything, but you can't. Durken had lain awake many a night wishing it was only he who had suffered from Verius's wrath.

They were safe for a time, but the future was unsure, that much they had learned from Verius, and so Durken stayed up most of the night worrying about the "what ifs".

**{~~~~~~~~~~}**

Serene looked up when the old Griffon entered the cave opening.

"Serene, what is it you have…..oh my. Queen Susan!" the Griffon turned to look at Susan as she spoke, and stared silently at her.

She was clearly older than most of the Griffons Susan had seen here today, or ever before. Her feathers were greying at the tips, and her coat had hairs of the same color spread throughout, giving her a faded appearance. But her eyes glowed with happiness and life.

"I have hoped all my life that I might meet a ruler from old, and now I have. My father knew the King Edmund well. They were close friends. In fact, Dez, my father, short for Harpiedes, used to ask him to teach his cousin, Joram, who was afraid of heights, to fly. My but those were the days. I was born not less than a hundred years after you left." Harpsong said in a reflective manner, her eyes bright with unshed tears, and her voice soft.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Harpsong." Susan said, wondering about life in Narnia after she and her siblings left.

"Might I tell you something about the old days, my father told me many stories. I was not born in your day, but I know a great deal."

"Yes, I would like that, could you perhaps tell me about King Lucian and his sister?"

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ England, Hendon house ~**

Peter wandered the street, Lucy had wanted him to get something, but he forgot, watching all the people walk around him. Eventually he just stood still and let the throngs part around him. He wondered, what went on in their minds? What did they think about? Were they worried about where they were going in their lives? Did they have doubts like him? Was there hope for any of these people in the end? Hope for him?

Unknowingly, the boy was looking at them anxiously as they pushed past, looking for some sign that they could help him, studying each face for something other than vacancy and blankness, someone to follow, who perhaps had felt what he was feeling, someone who _knew _the pain and had felt the weight of guilt and of being lost_._ He was unaware that he had attracted the attention of a grey-haired man wearing a fedora and a coat over his dark sweater and cranberry and gold-colored tie. He watched the boy with bright blue eyes, wondering why he looked so lost. He stepped down from the covered stoop he was standing under, and crossed the busy street towards the young man.

"Excuse me young man, but are you lost?"

Peter turned sharply, startled that someone had asked what he was feeling inside. His eyes brightened as he looked at the man with the desperation that comes only when you have been so lost and are trying to find your way.

"No, yes, well, I don't know."

"I did not mean the "lost" as in looking for a street or building lost, I meant spiritually. You seemed to be looking for something in these people; I have felt that way before, I thought, perhaps I could help."

He just stared at the man, stunned. He knew, he could help. Peter was so shocked that someone had answered his silent yet yearned-for question that he wanted to cry with relief. The man smiled, and placed a worn and weathered hand on the boy's shoulder.

"There can be hope for you, the way will not be easy, but, I believe I can help you. There is love that never dies. There is hope for all these people, but some will never find it, I can give you peace in the midst of your troubles, would you like me to tell you how?"

"Yes, please I'm so lost." Peter spoke with the desperation of one who has tried everything and hasn't found a way.

"Come with me, I'm Henry, by the way. Henry Ellison, I'm a lawyer."

"Peter, Peter Pevensie, just a student."

Henry took the boy across the street and back to the hotel he was staying at, the one on whose stoop he had been standing when he first saw Peter. He took him into the lounge to talk, away from the noise and bustle of the busy world outside.

"I was lost just like you, except I was older than you when I found what I was searching for, perhaps if I tell you this, you shall find Him sooner than I did." Henry sat down in a chair and motioned for the boy to sit opposite him.

"Have you read a Bible before?" He asked, opening his briefcase and extracting a worn brown book, so worn that its leather cover was wearing thin.

"I've paged through one, but no, I've never read one on a daily basis." Peter replied truthfully.

"Here, read this one, take it, I have others." Henry said, pulling another book, this one new and black out of his case. It was a simple leather book, no gold words embossed on the outside, just plain. Peter carefully reached out and took it from him. Opening it, he saw that it was a Bible. He looked up at the older man, skeptical, how would this help him?

"I know, it doesn't look like much, but let me show you a few things." Henry smiled again at him.

"In that book, there is a letter written long ago, called Hebrews, near the end, turn to it, in chapter eleven, verses one through three, there is something I'd like you to read with me."

"Hebrews reads; **"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the convictions of things unseen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible." **Now, what comes first, faith or hope? No, don't look, tell me from what you remember. Or, what you think you know."

"Faith." Peter answered, mystified.

"Now look again, **faith **is the substance of things **hoped **for. Hope comes first, then faith. You must first have hope in Him to protect you, to know what you don't. When you hope in things you cannot see, then shall you obtain faith in this unseen thing, this "thing" being "God the Father"."

"_**In your world I have another name, you must learn to know me by it." **_

"_Aslan." _Peter whispered, now understanding what the great lion meant.

"What was that Peter? Did you have a question? I'll gladly answer it for you."

"No, sorry, I was just thinking about something. What you've said makes sense, continue, please."

Henry talked with Peter for well over an hour, about many things. He told the boy about how he came to believe, what God had done for him, and so on. Peter was opened to a new light, the light that never dies, the path that never disappears into nothing, though at times it's hard to see. Peter had been shown something that changed him inside, though it would be a while before he felt it. As their talk came to an end, Henry looked Peter in the eye and said;

"Son, it you ever have questions, problems, burdens, or guilt, sorrow or loss, take it to the One who knows. You can pray to Him as if you're talking to me, like we are right now, eyes open or closed, standing or lying down, you can pray without ceasing. He will hear. I know, I was where you are now."

Henry stood slowly as he finished, putting his worn and well-loved Bible back into his briefcase. Peter stood as well.

"Man can lie, God will never lie, he is Just, he is Merciful, he is Forgiving, and he is Righteous. He wants a relationship with you. Don't miss it. You will be better for it, I guarantee."

"Thank you for your time, I don't know why you stopped to help me, but you have done more than you know."

"Peter, why I saw you is simple, God saw you, and he put me here on this day to see you and help. Goodbye, perhaps we shall meet again someday. If we do not, than I pray you kept on this path." Henry walked out the lounge door.

Peter stood there long after the man left. He thought about the four words he had mentioned as God being, and he thought about four titles that four Kings and Queens had earned long ago, in a far different place. He picked up the black book from a side table, and walk out of the room. Except there was a difference, he walked a little faster, a little straighter, and he no longer looked so lost.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ England, St. Finbars School ~**

Lucy dashed down the steps of her school where she was waiting for Peter when she saw him. She had been sitting there for a while, growing more and more anxious when she saw no sign of her brother.

"Where have you been I've been so worried!" She said, looking at him to see if he'd been in a fight or perhaps something worse.

"I'm fine Lu. In fact a bit better than fine." Peter said, a smile coming across his face. Lucy looked at her brother curiously, he was different, almost like he'd been before they went to Narnia. He didn't seem so…out of it. Like he'd been lately.

"I forgot what it was that you wanted, sorry. But I found something else, something incredible, come on, I want to show it to Edmund as well!" He said, his eyes lighting up as he finished. Lucy laughed has he took her by the hand and practically started running. This was the Peter she remembered, the older brother she missed. She didn't know how long this would last, but she would take in as much as she could.

**{~~~~~~~}**

"Edmund? Good you're here! I'm glad, there's something I've got to tell you." Peter said when he opened the door to his dorm room and saw Edmund sitting at the desk, reading. Edmund put the book down and ran his fingers through his hair, he hadn't been able to get much sleep the nights before, and studying for this History test was trying work.

"Where did you get all this energy from? I haven't seen you this excited in months." He smiled at his older brother.

"It started like this, Lu sit down, this might take a while…."

**{~~~~~~~}**

"And so, he gave me this book, he told me to read it, I'm going to, this was just Aslan, so I'm going to try." Peter said, his eyes sparkling with life.

"I think it just might work. Aslan _would_ do something like this, go ahead, try it. Perhaps something good shall come of it." Edmund said, leaning back in his chair.

Lucy said nothing, she just smiled, and perhaps Aslan would bring Peter back to him through this way. She looked over at Ed, he looked happy for Peter; she just hoped that Aslan would do something for him as well.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ England, Hendon House ~**

Edmund sighed; not sleeping the past several nights was taking its toll on him. He sighed again and ran his hand through his hair; the history book wasn't making any sense. He was mixing Knights of the Round Table with Knights of Aslan's Table, and the old English chivalry code with the old Narnian chivalry code. It was doing nothing but giving him a headache. It wasn't fair! He'd had nearly a lifetime committing the Narnian code to memory because it was basically the law in Narnia, here this code was just history, and it was similar but different to the code he was used to. He scowled at the paper next to him; it was filled with cross outs and gibberish. He preferred Narnian laws and rules.

He was glad when Peter burst into the room, now he at least had a reason to put down the cursed book. Shoving it aside, he listened intently to Peter's story. How he wished something like that would be done for him, he needed Aslan now. He was starting to feel what he figured Peter must be feeling, and it was depressing. He was calm, quiet, being the strong one for his sister and brother, but inside he was close to falling into pieces.

For several days he had been keeping his distance from the Fencing School, hoping that eventually they would forget him. Afraid of what might happen if he went back and was asked to fight someone, afraid of what he might do to the person if he allowed his mind to wander to Narnia, and _her._ He wished now that he had stayed, instead of going with his siblings…. No! He couldn't go there, what's done is done, no going back. He of all people should know that, being the Just King.

But still, one cannot stop longing for something or someone just because they try not to.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia, After the Four Kings and Queens ~**

"This is what you should do -"

"But Sire, you can't possibly -"

"Don't interrupt me! As I was saying, this is what we _should_ do, I went with the scouting party, and the Telmarines' line just ends on the west side, no patrol, no guards, no anything, it just trails off into dust, I want you to take a fourth of our men and walk in a straight line across this point, making a "T" formation with their army, I shall take the rest of the men and come from the front, in standard formation, we shall flatten them, this I can guarantee!" Lucian said, looking up at the men from where he was leaning over a map, bold lines drawn over it where he had marked to get his point across to the protesting officers.

Oreius stood silent while the other Centaur, Fauns, dwarf, and Satyr looked at one another skeptically, but each shrugged their shoulders and nodded good-naturedly, it might work, the High King had suggested stranger, and all those plans succeeded.

"Lead us, My King." Oreius said, nodding at him, he was confident in the boy; he had inherited Peter's brilliant strategy ideas.

"With pleasure, Oreius, I hope my father would've done the same." Lucian said, staring off into the distance. He had only been ruling for two years and he hoped that his father would've been proud of what he was doing.

**{+}{+}{+}{+}**

"Go!" The girl encouraged, and the large chestnut stallion sprang forward, her pale blonde hair streaming behind her as the horse galloped as fast as it possibly could. She pulled an arrow out of her quiver, strung it, aimed, released. It flew faster than they were galloping and landed with a thud in the center of the red mark on the fabric target, five more followed, each with the same result. Horse and rider sped past and galloped onto their next obstacle, a brush fence with several targets just past it. Sliding her bow into its sheath on her saddle, she reached for her shortsword. She sliced a rope that was tied around two trees at waist height to nock a rider off. After several more such things, they reached the end.

Both were breathing heavily, the horse's lather covering its chest and some covered her hands and legs from how close she had been leaning to the horse's head.

"We did well, huh, Brightfire?" She said, patting the horse affectionately on the shoulder. From her left, clapping broke out, she turned, a smile slowly spreading across her face when she saw who it was.

"No one can say my sister is as fragile as a Lily, now can they?" Lucian said, walking to the side of her horse and looking up at her fondly.

"No indeed not brother!" Lilianna said; laughing along with him, remembering a previous suitor's words that had insulted them both when they had been said. Now they found them quite amusing.

"Did they listen to your suggestion?"

"Yes, Oreius seconded it; I was only mildly surprised at that. He supported most of father's ideas as well, why not mine?" Lucian studied the surroundings, ready for anything, the Telmarines had been reviving border trouble and small skirmishes had started before the two countries formally declared war on one another. And even here, so near Cair Paravel, trouble could arise.

"I heard from Tumnus that another suitor will be coming today?" Lucian said, looking mischievously at his little sister.

"Don't you even dare! I've told you, I never want to marry; Narnia is more than enough for me. I don't want some man telling me what I can and can't do!" Lilianna said with a toss of her blonde hair before dismounting.

"Or is it perhaps because my sister favors a tall, dark,_ handsome_, I might add, captain in the cavalry?" Lucian asked, raising his eyebrows and grinning devilishly.

"Will you ever stop?" She exclaimed, pushing him away while she blushed slightly.

"See, you're blushing! I knew it! You can't hide anything from your all-knowing brother!" he crowed triumphantly, coming to walk next to her and her horse.

"Well, my _all-knowing_ brother, you are acting more like one of my ladies-in-waiting than a King. If anyone sees you they'd think that you were not fit to rule!"

"Who's looking? I don't anyone besides you and me." Lucian said, looking around in an exaggerated manner before turning back to her and smiling.

"Now, on to more serious things, are you going to stay here and rule while I'm away fighting, or are you going to accompany me on the battlefield?" Lucian looked her in the eye, his smile vanishing.

"I will always go with you, until the stars rain down from the heavens, you're my brother, and I shall always follow after you." Lilianna replied quietly, knowing he was thinking of their parents. This was to be his first battle, and he was nervous, though he didn't show it.

"Don't follow me too far; I don't want to take you down with me." He said, walking off.

She sighed as she watched him go. She had been only four when Father disappeared, and he had been eight, he took the loss harder than she, and she felt sorrow for him. And now they had lost Mother, which was a blow they had not expected. At first, she had been envious of the fact that he had gotten to know Father better, then that gave way to guilt when she realized that knowing him better only made the parting all the more painful. She led Brightfire to the stable; there was not much she could do for her brother.

**{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}**

"Why would you leave me like this? Don't you think I need someone to show me the way? Why? It's not fair! You weren't supposed to do this to me! You are supposed to be here to show me what to do!" Lucian shouted.

He looked up at the night sky, his blue eyes filled with frustration, anger being replaced with sorrow. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, it wasn't fair. His father should be here with him, he shouldn't have to be fighting this war alone. But what good was yelling at someone who couldn't hear?

"Whoever said life is fair?" He whispered, scoffing. He stood there until the sun rose, staring off into the east.

**{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}**

"_No don't leave me; I want to go with you! Father, Mama, Lucian, don't go!"_

Lilianna woke with a start.

"What a nightmare." She wrapped her arms around her knees and rocked back and forth in her bed. She was sixteen, but times like these she felt like she was six again. It was always the same dream. Her father walking away, promising to come back, but he never did, then her mother, and finally Lucian, he'd smile at her and promise he'd be fine, but never come back, and she was left utterly alone. She sat there, waiting until the sky started to lighten in the east before she got up and dressed. Her fears hidden for another day.

**{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}**

"Tobias?" Lucian walked down the row between the stalls in the stable of Cair Paravel, looking for his friend and Captain of the Cavalry.

"Here, in Darkstar's stall. What is it you need, Sire?" He looked up from picking the horse's hooves briefly, before looking back down to the task at hand. The dark bay horse shifted so she could reach her head with a small white star on it over the stall partition to the blonde-haired young man. Lucian stared at her star thoughtfully and rubbed her forehead for several seconds before looking at his friend and speaking.

"Do you think my father would be proud of what I'm doing, or do you think he would've tried to settle a peace treaty with Telmar?"

Tobias glanced at his friend, noticing the look of confusion and anguish, he finished quickly, gently setting the hoof back on the ground, and patting the mare's flank, he turned to his friend and King, saying;

"I knew you father for quite a while, and I believe the only thing he would've done differently is take action sooner, he always hated Telmar for calling him, his siblings, his family, and the Narnians "barbarians". But then, Calormen also called us that for many years before King Edmund and Queen Lucy taught that Prince a lesson." Tobias said, taking some straw, twisting it, and then rubbing it over the mare's dark body to bring her coat to a glossy sheen.

"I'm not sure. I'm beginning to doubt everything I thought I knew. For all we know Telmar could've murdered my Father, Aunts and Uncle just to run over us and claim the throne." Lucian said, playing with the mare's wavy long black mane.

"I know that several of your Advisors say that, but I believe differently. I think they went back to their world, of their choice or not I don't know. Don't give up on saving Narnia just because your father is no longer here, that _would_ disappoint him." Tobias proceeded to brush the horse down, stopping only to look at Lucian with some concern. He knew that he couldn't go into battle doubting himself.

"Enough of all this troubling talk, when do you think Darkstar shall foal?" Lucian asked, looking at his friend curiously.

"I bred her to Windstorm last year around this time, so soon now." Tobias said, referring to his black war stallion, half-brother to High King Peter and Queen Amalia's Starfire. Darkstar was the foal of Starsong's half-sister, Nightsky whom they had bred with King Edmund's Night to get Darkstar. Tobias had been sixteen and head stable boy when High King Peter and Amalia had given him the black colt which he named "Windstorm", after the storm that happened the night the foal was born.

"What ideas do you have for names?" Lucian asked, he and his sister kept up their parent's tradition of raising and breeding the fastest, strongest, bravest, war horses in Narnia, they also kept up the tradition of naming them something to do with their parents before them.

"I don't know; Dark Tempest, or perhaps Dakar, preferably something beginning with D."

"I like Dakar. It's simple. But at the same time, it sounds threatening. You decide." Lucian moved as if to go, then thought better of it and walked back.

"Thank you for your time. You are most kind to a troubled king." Lucian proceeded to walk away from the stall. He was to enter a battle in six days with his sister, a battle he did not know if he would come out a victor of, or as one of the dead.

War is terrifying. It is not a game, and it is most certainly not easy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

**You remember the man, Henry Ellison? That character is my father. What Henry did for Peter is exactly what my father does for others. Of course I changed his name and his occupation, but everything about Henry is practically identical to my Dad. **

**Sorry, this is almost like a filler chapter now that I've gone back and proofread it. Peter is not going to have a massive miracle turnaround, I'm going to make it realistic. But, this will get him started. In the next book in this "What If" quintet, he shall have several cameo appearances, about five or six. Yes, this tale is nearing its end. {Sad, but pleased, first story on FFN that I'll have finished}**

**Sorry about the end, I know I took a lot of time out to describe the horses and all that, but I wanted you to get a feel of the stable, and of what Tobias. Yes, he's the boy that scared the Pevensies horses in chapter 7, "One More Day", felt and what his world was like, I also kind of have him looking up to Peter because of what the King did for him. **

**I know I made Lilianna quote Aslan's line in the movie about "Until the stars rain down from the heavens" but I wanted to, it sounded Narnia and appropriate for that setting. **

**I hope you all saw the contrast between Peter, Edmund, and Lucy in the way they believe in the beginning. Peter is entirely lost. Edmund is struggling out of the dark into the light. Lucy believes in Aslan and it keeps her from feeling depressed. **

**Question of the Chapter: How old do you think I am? Just wondering. **

**My Favorite Part:**

"Why would you leave me like this? Don't you think I need someone to show me the way? Why? It's not fair! You weren't supposed to do this to me! You are supposed to be here to show me what to do!" Lucian shouted.

He looked up at the night sky, his blue eyes filled with frustration, anger being replaced with sorrow. This wasn't how it was supposed to be, it wasn't fair. His father should be here with him, he shouldn't have to be fighting this war alone. But what good was yelling at someone who couldn't hear?

**I like this because it makes Lucian seem more human. He has feelings, and those feelings are that his father left him and now he needs him, and his father isn't there. He feels betrayed in a way. I like it also because it brings Peter into this new light. Being a father and all. **

**Yes, you both win, I'm from America! Born and raised in the good ol' U.S. of A. **

* * *

><p><strong>{SIDENOTE}<strong>

**Ok, have you guys noticed it yet? Remember in chapter 2, "Worlds Apart, Yet So Close" The first sequence in there after Narnia with Peter and Edmund in it, where Peter's lying on his bed, Edmund's studying, and Edmund tells Peter to;**

"Stop thinking of her. you need to move on. every time you think of her you get depressed. I know you miss her, but why not just remember her fondly?"

**About Amalia, he's trying to tell Peter what he's had to do. But Peter doesn't get it and walks out of the room. Just thought I'd mention it. **

* * *

><p><strong>I did a flashback to Lucian and Lilianna because I wanted to I guess, I like the Golden Age, and I also want to get to tell you guys about how I see them in my head, I want you to get the same, or similar, picture. Also, I won't be doing Golden Age flashbacks in the next stories. If I do they shall be far and few in-between, and only as someone's memories. <strong>

**I should probably do a chaptered fic about the Golden Age. _After_ this quintet though. **

**I kind of liked having Edmund reminisce about their first time in Narnia, even though it was in a depressing manner. He always seemed to me the one who missed it most, next to Lucy I admit, but I think he loved Narnia more than all of them, in a different way than Lucy. As you can sort of tell, I'm going into them more, I gave Lucy more of a segment than I've ever done before.**

**I fear that I'm starting to get writers block, and I don't want that, your reviews are what force me to sit here in this office and type when I just want to be lazy, and I thank you heartily!**

**The battle tactic that Lucian is explaining to his officers is a tactic used by Stonewall Jackson in the Civil War. It is very real. It is what made him remembered, his battle tactics. {He was a Peter-type person}If I didn't explain it very well, you can probably find it on some History site.**

* * *

><p><strong>ILoveFanfiction:<strong>

**I'm glad you like Daniel's character, I won't change him, don't worry! I'm glad that you like the conversation between him and Caspian too! **

**Okay, I need to explain why I don't do much with Phillip except in cameo for you. The reasons are these:**

**Phillip is only in the movie, not the book. {But I like him, I like the relationship between him and Edmund.}**

**Talking Horses are usually ridden only in times of great need, like, war, for instance. I see Edmund and Phillip as being friends, but I don't see Phillip as going and doing everything with Edmund.**

** In this story of mine, I also don't have Edmund riding Phillip to hunt the White Stag, mainly because in the movie, Phillip and Edmund stops running behind his siblings, and they start a conversation, then his siblings come riding back to him, and the horse never speaks again. Having a talking horse that always speaks his mind, why would he not give his two cents about going past the lamp-post? **

**I kind of think that he also wouldn't be there because of his age anyway. If he was four, {a fully mature, grown, adult horse} in the battle, and it's _seventeen_ years later, then he would be _twenty_ years old, too old to go gallivanting through the forest after a White Stag much nimbler and faster than himself, with an adult rider on his back. **

**Now, I'm not saying I don't like his character, I love him! but I just wanted to give you my reasons. I hope I didn't offend you! Please know that I was trying to do no such thing! **

**I'm glad you like this fanfic! What you wrote in your review was wonderfully up-building, and that type thing inspires me to keep going and keep doing my best when you guys say how much you enjoy reading it! ~ W.H.1492**

* * *

><p><strong>Bekah: <strong>

**I'm so glad you reviewed, I'm also glad you liked Daniel and Caspian's conversation! I hope you like this chapter too. I know exactly what you mean about "life catches up to you" been there myself. ~ W.H.1492 **


	11. For Love and Life

**Chapter 11: For Love and Life**

**~ Narnia ~**

Susan listened thoughtfully as the old griffon finished her tale of King Lucian the Brave's first battle. Lucian was so much like his father, she thought with a small smile. Brave, impetuous, willing to die for something he believed in. It saddened her that she never got to meet the boy that became this great King. Yes, she'd known him when he was no taller than her waist, but she'd never met the young man, and these tales made her wish she had.

"I must be going now, your Majesty, as much as I'd like to talk of days past, my body and my eyes are tired, and the walk back to my home is long. Perhaps I shall meet you again. Farewell." And Harpsong walked stiffly out of the cave.

"Thank you for asking her to come Serene, it was most kind." Susan said softly, turning to the dark haired woman.

"It was nothing, she would've been deeply distressed to learn that you had been missed if I did not tell her."

"Come, I believe Daniel has woken Grimspar, I'd greatly wish if you'd be there to receive your arrow back, as I do not venture far from the safety of these crags often." Serene said, picking up a basket filled with bandages and a pitcher of the mixture she boiled on the hearth.

**{~~~~~~~~~}**

Susan was given back her arrow, artfully removed from the Griffon's wing by Serene's skillful hands. And all was forgiven between the humans and the golden creature of the skies. Grimspar admitted that shooting had been the most sensible thing to do in that fog. Daniel showed them a much faster way down the mountains to their camp, along the way he also mentioned seeing the Narnian camp as well, and wondered as to the separation. Caspian, knowing he could trust the young man, told him basically everything that had happened since he'd reclaimed the throne. Daniel then told him to have strong faith in Aslan, and all the wrong would come aright, in due time.

Caspian nodded, thanked him, and then he and Susan continued down the mountain, wondering as they reached the bottom if it had all really been real.

**{~~~~~~~~~~}**

Durken looked around at his siblings. They were sitting in their tent, the flaps open to let in light for the day.

"It's weird to not be doing anything except talking and walking around. I almost feel like I did before Verius." Gavan said.

"It is almost as if he has taken over our lives, even though we are now free of him. He still has this hold over us. It makes me want to die." Durken looked grim.

"I keep waiting for Verius to come in at any moment." Erikk said, looking toward the tent opening. Durken frowned, he felt the same sometimes.

"I don't like all this talk of that monster coming from my children's mouths." Merit looked up at her husband from where she was sitting on some furs covering the ground, sewing.

"But when the monster is all you live for and all that keeps you from death, he becomes the only thing to talk about, even when you hate him." Arran said darkly from where he was lying on his cot, tossing a dagger above his head and catching it in his hand.

"I'm sorry Mother, but we are still trapped in our minds, our bodies are free, but not our thoughts." Moriah said softly, looking at her mother with compassion and pity, knowing how hard this was for her to listen to.

"I'm going to go practice my shooting, anyone want to come along?" Erikk asked, standing and walking toward the entrance.

"I think I'll join you!" Moriah said, standing.

"Durken, what has happened to all of you?" Merit whispered as she watched all her children leave one by one, to go try to bury the shadow that followed them like a ravenous creature waiting to consume them.

"I'm sorry my dear, this was my fault." Withermere said, putting a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder.

"No, it was not, we had no choice, lose them forever, or lose them temporarily to the darkness. Perhaps the light shall bring them back." She said gently, placing her hand over his and letting her tears fall as she stared out the opening at the grey sky.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ England, The Art of Fencing School ~**

"It's not the stronger swordsman the necessarily wins. It's speed. Speed of hand, speed of mind!" Edmund quoted, standing in front of seven swordsmanship students that he had been asked to come speak to. Edmund had tried to beg off, but he went because he felt guilty for staying away so long. He could beat his fear, to become a good swordsman you must. Fear; that was the worst enemy, your first. And you had to kill it before you tried anything else.

"It's cunning, knowing what your opponent will do, the move he will make _before_ he does it. Size does not matter, neither does strength. Use your weaknesses _for_ you, putting your opponent unknowingly into a corner. I have fought many who underestimated me, and I won because of their cockiness. Don't ever get carried away just because you stayed alive the first round. The noblest soldier died because of his wrong ideals that he was "the best"." Edmund said, looking at each one.

The students shifted uncomfortably, his direct way of speaking made you listen with every fiber of your being to him, because he sounded like he knew exactly what he was doing, age aside. It also made them realize that they'd been practicing what he was telling them not to do, bringing on this feeling of guilt.

"One more thing before you go. When you fight, for whatever reason, fight as if for your love and for your life. With everything you possess. Because your life and that sword might become the _only_ thing you possess."

The students nodded and picked up their bags and coats as they headed out the door.

"Edmund, Mr. Pevensie?"

"Yes, what is it?" Edmund asked, turning around, he wasn't used to hearing someone call him that. The young man stood looking at him uncertainly.

"I was wondering, have you ever really fought someone like you say in your lectures? Because you can't be much older than me."

Edmund smiled before sitting on a chair and motioning the student to sit next to him.

"Yes. But it was quite a while ago, and in a different place, far from here."

"Europe?" The sandy haired boy asked.

"In a way you could say that." Edmund laughed, thinking about the customs of Narnia and now medieval they were.

"Thank you. I was just wondering." The boy replied. Edmund nodded, and after the boy left, turned back to his work of cleaning the swords used for practice.

"It's almost like old times isn't it?" Peter asked, stepping out of the shadows and walking toward him. Edmund turned sharply, startled at hearing his voice.

"You surprised me, but yes, it is slightly like old times."

"Hmm." Peter said thoughtfully, taking up a sword and cleaning cloth for himself.

"You've come every day, haven't you?" Edmund queried, not turning nor stopping from his work.

"Every time you've come here, yes, so have I." Peter replied quietly.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to make sure you stayed safe, and I wanted to see if this truly made you feel happier, about the leaving, I mean."

"It doesn't take the ache away, if that's what you mean, but it does make the leaving less hurtful." Edmund gently rubbed at a spot of grim on the blade.

"Hmm, nothing like Narnia. Nothing can compare. We should've known right? That coming back and forth was too good to be true. Everything comes with a cost. I should've realized that, being a King."

"We all should've known. Narnia forever, right?" Edmund said, looking over at Peter with a small smile.

"Right. Forever and all eternity." Edmund frowned momentarily, remembering those words said in a different context.

"Peter I…I don't know if this will make you think any less of your loss, but…Oh, forget it."

"What?" Peter looked over at his brother, who got up to get another sword to clean. Edmund came and sat back down next to him, breathing in and out slowly, wondering if he should tell him.

"I know how you feel about…Amalia. I….I never told you, but….I knew about her long before you introduced her to us, I followed you, I know it was wrong, but I was worried. That's not the point…the point is….the point being….This is harder than I thought…." He said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I was….in love as well. You never met her, but she was….about the best thing in my life, after Aslan. After her, I realized why you felt the way you did for Amalia." As Edmund spoke, he stared off with a fond look on his face, remembering her.

Peter just watched his brother, it was clear that he was telling the truth, and it was also clear that he had loved this girl deeply, whoever she had been. He felt guilty for burdening Edmund with his pain, when he was carrying his own.

"What was her name?"

"Serene." Edmund liked saying her name after so long a silence.

"I'm sorry, for not realizing."

"How could you know if I kept it from you? I had never told you, and wasn't planning on it. When you love someone, everything else fades into the grey and black background."

"You feel on top of the world. Fearless, brave, nothing can hurt you." Peter said softly, smiling as he looked at his brother, knowing exactly what he meant.

"Yes. I miss her. At times the pain is terrible, then it passes, and I remember what we used to promise of each other when I left her. I told her to remember fondly, without tears or hurt. I told you that, don't you recall? If we never saw one another again, we'd be together forever in Aslan's Country. This one thing I can be sure of." Edmund spoke of missing her with a pained sound his voice, but it passed, and emotion made his voice almost no quieter than whisper.

"This is why I wanted Susan to stay, so she wouldn't have to join the group of those who have lost someone they care about. It's a burden nearly too hard to bear." Peter said, standing.

"A kind decision, Peter. I'm glad I told you, and I'm glad we talked, as Tumnus told Lucy; _"I've felt warmer than I've been in a hundred years."_ I feel better telling someone that." They smiled. Edmund watched his brother go before turning back to his work.

"_Though your ship be lost, and the snows blow hard, my love for you shall be thy guard."_

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ England, St. Finbars School ~**

Lucy walked down the hall to her dorm, a letter from Mother in her hand. She closed her bedroom door to read it in privacy.

"_Lucy dear, How are you and the boys? I hope all is well with you. Father is going to be sent to America at the beginning of the new year, and he's asked me to accompany him. America, Lucy! I wanted to take you all as well, but Father says that we haven't the money. I hope you shan't mind staying in Cambridge with your Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold. Peter will be going to study with Prof. Kirk, during the Holidays for his entry exams to college, so you shall be alone after he leaves, for a few weeks at most, but by then Father and I shall be crossing back over the Atlantic to take you home for the rest of the summer. Do you remember Eustace? No, most likely not, you were a bit older than him when we last visited, which was around eight years ago now. He's eleven now I think, turning twelve next year. I hope Edmund will be a good influence for him. His parents are rather odd, to say the least. _

_I'm sorry this letter is so short dear girl, but I'm so busy with packing and closing the house. I shall write again soon. Tell your brothers I send my love, _

_Mother."_

"Not Eustace." She said with a downcast sigh. Edmund and Peter would tell her stories about him. None of it good. She got her coat and hat and went to go find Edmund and Peter, they were not going to be pleased with the prospect of staying some months with him, Aunt Alberta and Uncle Harold.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia ~**

It was around midday or early afternoon when Susan and Caspian returned to the camp. They were relieved to find they had not been missed. They walked into their pavilion and Susan removed her quiver, almost at once a sentry entered the tent.

"Sire, do we have orders to scout the desert for signs of enemy approach?" He asked.

"Give the order, but watch yourselves. I don't need an ambush." Caspian said, looking over a map in the table in front of him. The real world was calling him back. But it had been nice to be without responsibility for a few hours, strange as they were.

"I hope nothing goes wrong." Susan said, running her fingers through the tangles in her hair.

"How could it? There has been no sighting of Calormen for weeks. I'm beginning to wonder if they even want to fight." Caspian sat down next to her.

"They will fight, when Verius gives the order. I just don't want to lose you." Susan said, looking at him.

"You won't, I'm not going to give up that easily." He replied with a smile, putting his arm around her.

**{~~~~~~~~~~}**

"Mother, what are you doing?" Daniel asked, coming in to find his mother going through a chest of her belongings.

"I was looking for something my son." She said, pulling a sheathed sword out from the bottom, and laying it beside some dark red fabric. The weapon was unlike her other sword, this one longer, thicker, and battle-like.

"What are you going to do?"

"Narnia has need of me. I'm going to join the King and Queen, this battle shall be greater than they can handle." She said, standing and turning to face him.

"Mother no, you can't go! Let me."

"This is something I must do, it is the very reason Aslan gave us this magic in the first place. And you are already going with me. The griffons have agreed to fight as well, Calormen has not seen one of those fierce creatures in nigh a thousand years. Well, what say you, will you come?"

Daniel smiled, his mother might be different, but he'd gladly do anything with her. "For Narnia and for Aslan?"

"Yes, my son, always."

"I'll go…. I'll go."

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia, after the Four ~**

Lucian rode next to Lilianna, they were going into battle, he was feeling horrified, but slightly excited. He looked over at his sister. She nodded at him, not smiling, thinking of the task ahead. As was he, as were they all.

Oreius watched Lucian as they walked out onto the battle field, climbing a rise, and overlooking the wide plain. The opposing side came into view; there were many soldiers, their armor glinting in the sun. Lucian swallowed, staring in fascination mixed with horror at the sight before him.

"There are many soldiers, are there not?" The Centaur asked, thinking that Lucian looked very much like High King Peter did in his first battle.

"Yes, more than us, and so unlike us." He replied nervously.

"Numbers and strength do not win, my King.

"But doesn't that help?" He cried, turning to look over at the General.

"Perhaps, but it does not win a battle. It is courage and fighting for a worthy thing or cause that wins, and what is more so than Aslan?" Oreius said wisely.

"What would my father have said?" Lucian asked, once more turning to him.

"Courage is something you gain, not something to be found on a battlefield. Fear does not depart, but bravery is earned. Magnificence is not in what war stallion you ride, in what crown you bear, in what sword you carry, or what country you come from, but in your manner. It is how you act when you lead, that is what your father learned, and that is what he would've said in this moment. It is how willing you are to die for something you believe in."

Lucian nodded to him. His sword shone in the summer sun as he raised it. Lilianna held her breath, Tobias called for his men to be ready, Oreius shouted for his men to hold their places, the Griffons stood still, watching him from their place on the cliffs, the wolves and talking beasts stood silent. Lucian stood still for several seconds knowing what was coming, dreading it, and yet knowing it was now the only way to keep Narnia protected.

"For Narnia and Aslan." Oreius looked at him.

"For Aslan!" He yelled. The sword flashed as it came down, Lilianna spurred her horse into a gallop, Tobias shouted for the charge, the lead Griffon shrieked and flew to the skies, the others following. The sound of thundering hooves filled the valley. Lucian reached the point of the enemy lines first, sword coming up red with blood as he slashed soldier after soldier. Tobias let his stallion run full speed into another horse, knocking it down, and jumping over it and its fallen rider.

Lilianna found her brother in the throng, shooting a soldier in the back before he could kill him. She shouted as a falling man grabbed at her skirt, trying to take her down with him, she kicked him away; she was not so easily to be defeated. Her horse charged over two other foot soldiers. She reached for her dagger, stabbing at a soldier holding on to her bridle, keeping her from moving forward.

Tobias shouted in agony as a sword sliced his arm. He forced his stallion to jump over another fallen cavalry soldier, facing the man who nearly killed him; he grabbed a spear embedded into the ground, and trust it at him, his blood mixing with his horse's sweat as he encouraged the horse to keep going. Grabbing another spear he threw it at a soldier trying to kill his King. Lucian was the first priority; protect the King, then your comrades.

Lucian raised his arm, giving the signal for the Griffons to attack. He jumped several fallen men and readied himself for the force of the soldiers coming at him.

Oreius knocked down man after man, remembering Jadis and the battle against the Witch as he brought down another man. Narnia, forever free.

Narnia was at war again, but she was forever noble.

**{+}{+}{+}**

Tobias fell off his stallion, knowing the horse would run back to barracks and not into enemy lines. A soldier stopped, noticing the captain's bleeding right arm and smiled, this one'd be easy to take out. Tobias turned as the man was about to hit him, he grinned darkly, it was then that the man noticed too late the sword in his left hand. The captain of the Narnian cavalry was _left_-handed.

Lilianna screamed in fury as the man pulled her off Brightfire and tried to pin her down with his sword to the bloodstained soil. She turned her head as the weapon missed it by mere inches. The man had a look of surprise on his face as someone plunged a dagger into his back. Tobias grinned down at her momentarily as he reached out to help her up.

"Thank you." She said, nocking an arrow onto her bowstring and firing, reloading again.

"Think nothing of it my Queen." He slashed another soldier as it came up to them, tossing a dagger, from the six he carried, into the back of another.

"I must find the King. Where last did you see him?"

"I don't know, it all looks different from down here!" She shouted, drawing her sword.

"You don't." He smiled before cutting his way back to where he'd last seen Lucian, leaving Lilianna surprised. She darted after him; she had to find out what he meant.

**{+}{+}{+}**

Lucian groaned as the soldier slammed into him, it was getting difficult to stand on his injured leg. Midnight Star had gone down, unharmed, he'd just stumbled, but he'd thrashed out and cut Lucian's leg with his hoof getting upright, making it difficult to walk and stand. The pain and blood loss was also starting to give him a light-headed feeling. Tobias and Oreius arrived at nearly the same time as their King collapsed, the Centaur picking up the nearly unconscious young man as one might a child, and Tobias fended off the attackers wishing to kill the Narnian King.

Lilianna ran up, ducking rearing horses, dying soldiers, and jumping over dead ones to get to the dark haired Captain, blood covering his right sleeve and dripping onto the ground as he fought off more men then he could handle. He looked over at her, surprised to see her, when she finished off one man on his unguarded right side for him.

"What did you mean?" She asked, blocking a strike as the Telmarine tried to hit her over the head.

"What I said my Queen, exactly what I said." He warded off a soldier trying to grab for her. To them, it was strange to see a woman in battle regalia.

"Don't do that to me, you know I hate it!" She shouted, crossing his sword with her own before turning back to fight.

"Fine, Lilianna….Lilianna, if I'm going to die….Forgive me." As he said her name he looked at her lovingly, then bent his head and kissed her, smiling before going back into the battle. She watched him go in surprise.

"Don't you dare die." She muttered threateningly as she killed another soldier. He had better not die, not after doing that. She ran after him, he was not going to get off so lightly.

**{+}{+}{+}**

It became obvious several hours later, that the Telmarines were retreating Tobias noticed in relief. Seeing the Griffons starting to blacken the skies was causing them to run in terror. Good, he was starting to feel light headed himself after losing all that blood. He had a cut on his face where he'd barely missed a blade. The heat and sweat was starting to make it smart. He'd also acquired a cut on his side, because his right arm was useless, so he was unprotected from that side.

He dropped his sword in exhaustion and looked at his right arm and his side, pulling the once white fabric away from the injuries, wincing in pain as he did so. The fabric was heavy from the blood, it was bad. He didn't think he could walk all the way back; he'd be dead before then. He felt like collapsing was starting to become a really good option, giving in to the pain instead of fighting it, when an arm encircled his waist, and blonde hair shone in the sun. Lilianna looked up at him, her emerald green eyes showing concern.

"Why did you come after me? You should be going back, not helping a dead soldier."

"You're _not_ dead yet, and you're not getting away with doing that so easily." She said firmly, helping him walk forward.

"Is this so, my Queen? For I feel dead." He asked, groaning in agony.

"Yes, and _don't_ _call me that_, I've told you not to."

"I have to, I was afraid if I called you Lilianna anymore, I might do what I did today." Tobias admitted, grimacing with pain as he walked.

"At least you're honest about your reason for, doing what you did. Most men aren't."

"I know. They haven't been back either, I also noticed." He said, trying to make light of the situation.

"Stop speaking, you know it hurts to do so. You grimace every word." Lilianna noted.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do." He said through gritted teeth, his rebellious streak showing, even when he was injured.

"I'm your Queen, remember? It was you who said that, not I."

"I'm older, and I've always told you to stop bossing me around, since we were children together." Tobias pointed out.

"Doesn't matter, right now I need you to use your strength for walking, not fighting against me. I wish Brightfire were here."

They walked across the torn field in silence among all the dead. Lilianna and Tobias knew that they would be buried, a Narnian tradition to bury the dead, even those not their own, as the Telmarines left them behind, not caring to respect them. She nearly fell when he stopped.

"What?" she asked. He just nodded his head in the direction he was looking. She looked, and her heart fell. Seventeen, and perhaps more, of Tobias's cavalry lay dead in the dirt. A dappled grey struggled to stand on two broken legs, a dark bay and a roan thrashed in their own blood, before the roan lay still. Tobias looked over at her, his eyes filled with compassion, he was begging to end the horses suffering.

"Fine, what do I have to do?" She whispered.

"Give me your bow, two arrows as well." He requested simply. She nodded before getting them for him. She watched as he called to the grey softly by name, the horse looked at him, and then stood perfectly still, as if it knew, and wanted the suffering to be over. He aimed and fired with directness, and the shot landed sure. With a sigh the horse sank to the ground. He did the same with the bay. Lilianna watched, tears streaming down her face when he finally walked back to her after limping among the others to be sure they were dead as well.

"They were good men. I raised all their mounts. I trained every one of them for war. And now I get to watch them die. There is something I find so wrong with war. Peace should not come at the loss of so many good lives." He said brokenly, emotion filling his words. She nodded, unable to speak.

"Come, we need to get you back." She said after a moment's pause, putting her arm back around his waist. They walked over the battlefield, this was her first fight, but not his and he knew it would only become worse.

"_When you fight, fight for something you __**love**__, or for the reason to __**live**__, because with those, you are __**never**__ wrong. Fight for Love and Life." _

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Ok, I know this was kind of a bloody battle sequence, but I'm gearing for the big finale. I wanted it to feel real, so I wrote this piece until it made me cry. I also wanted to do this because I wanted you to see Peter's children are a lot like him, and that by his taking Tobias back to Cair Paravel, he changed the young man's life, minus the romance. **

**I know that I said Tobias was severely injured, but seeing something dear to you, like his horses, gives you strength to do something you thought you couldn't. He raised those animals, and he wasn't going to leave them there to suffer. **

**I liked messing around with the bit there with Lucian and Oreius. As you guys could probably tell, it's very close to Peter and Oreius's conversation in Peter's first battle. I wanted to put that in because I liked the feeling it gives, you can see Lucian and Peter share quite a bit of the same qualities. By the way, that's coincidently my favorite section if this chapter. Where they're about to go into battle there. **

**The quote at the end there is something I wrote, so don't worry about that. Edmund is quoting a line from The Count of Monte Cristo. {the movie not the book.} I liked the quote, and thought that since it's probably in the book, Edmund would've read it or something, and he'd quote that line, because he uses that practice a lot in his fighting. **

**I liked giving Edmund and Peter a brother time, where it's just them talking to one another, like brothers. it felt real to me in a way. They almost never do that in the movie, except to argue with one another or talk about dying or something else un-brotherly like. They don't do it much in the books either. **

**As you can tell, with the letter and all, this chapter in their lives is coming to a close. it's nearly the end of a year in our time, and two years have nearly passed in Narnia. There are about two or three more chapters in this fic and then it's over. Many thanks to all of you who have read through this and kept me going! **

**Sorry for the romance between the Queen and the Captain, but aww, I was feeling bad for her, she never gets to finish her life, she never gets to have a family, or kids. **Guilty** I have this thing that happens when I create characters where I feel guilty for giving them that type of life. So I just _had_ to do it. It doesn't go anywhere, you find out what happens in the next chapter. **

**I have a wrist/finger problem that my family and I don't know if it's really bad or not, so that will slow me down in up-dating for a while. I'll try though. Don't think I won't try. **

* * *

><p><strong>Bekah:<strong>

**Let me tell you why, from my writer's perspective, the age sixteen is so popular. The reason being this; the character is neither an adult, or a child, he/she is in the middle, which can make for a stormy romance, or a cool hero. {usually both} Anything is possible in that age. { that being said, are my personal opinions} **

**I've noticed that that age is used a lot too. the only thing is, my character doesn't stay that age, she'll get older as the chapters go along. **

**I'm glad you loved Lilianna! **

**High five right back! I wasn't planning on putting my dad's character in here, but this was the way the story was begging to be told, a sort of "In your world I have another name" story, like you said. I wanted to impress upon my readers the sense of "they found him!" in their own world, so they became OK with the decisions he made. **

**I like how you defined what each person is needing/missing/wanting, in your Review! That was really neat!**

* * *

><p><strong>ILoveFanfiction:<strong>

**It's a room set aside at home. And yes, in my teens. I want to make writing my profession, by the way, which is why I started writing on here, to get better at it. No, you're never too old to join FFN! **

**And, you've never offended me in any way, nor have you given me that impression! I just didn't want to hit a sensitive nerve with all my reasons about Phillip, as so many people love that character.**

**Thanks, my dad is a really great person, and I love him a lot! **

**Yes, the end is coming. I have a love/hate relationship with story endings, I love that it's over, and hate that it's over because now I have to write/buy the next installment in the series! {I haven't anything published yet, but I have read tons of books where I've had to by the next one. **

**I think one cameo appearance of Peter's you will like extremely well, as I've already started three chapters of it. I'm going to have to redo quite a bit of them though, as the plot in this one has undergone a new twist, {bringing Serene into this one as a person, and not into the second one as a memory, & giving her a son.} So, I need to overhaul those, which will take a bit of time, as they're already 8,000+ words long. **

**By the way, my writer's block is more along the lines of; if I listen to sad music, I feel down, and so I don't want to write, or I just want someone else to read my mind and finish my story for me, because I love it as much as my readers! {I know, I can be so pathetic!}**

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter ya'll! ~ W.H.1492<strong>


	12. Coming Full Circle

**Chapter 12: Coming Full Circle**

**~ Narnia, After the Four ~**

Lucian stood over the table, looking at the maps and charts spread over it. Narnia had defeated Telmar at the Ford of Beruna and surrounding areas ten more times over the following year, but now it seemed they were moving west, toward the Western Woods. He sighed and sat down in his chair, his past battle injuries pained him at times, and he was still recovering from being thrown by his stallion only last week.

"I know you're there." He said, covering his face with his hands in exhaustion. He didn't know what to do, his military was in a severely weakened state, and Tobias was still recovering from nearly being trampled on by his own Cavalry in their recent battle two weeks ago, he tried not to show his pain, but Lucian could tell he was suffering. Lilianna walked up behind her brother, concern in her expression.

"What will you-" She was cut off by Tobias as he stormed up to Lucian, a parchment order in his hand. He had been restricted from riding or training by the camp physician, so he was wearing riding boots, breeches, and a white shirt, unable to do more than sit in the sun, which aggravated him to no end, as he said he was fine.

"You cannot do this to me!" He shouted at the other young man. He placed his hands on the table to steady himself.

"I'm fine!"

"You don't look it." Lucian replied calmly, eyeing his shaking hands and pale complexion.

"I refuse to let you send me and my Cavalry back to the Cair!" He tried again, ignoring his remark.

"I'm your King, and I want you to rest and recuperate in time for the next battle, should there be one."

"It's alright Tobias; he's just doing what's best for you, your troops and the horses." Lilianna said, trying to calm him.

"But he's sending you back as well! Didn't you know?" He looked from her to her brother as he spoke.

"Lucian, why? If this is because I'm female then-" Tobias interrupted her again.

"No, it's because he wants to think about marrying that Telmarine Princess, Atarah, without us to knock some sense into his head!" He grabbed the table, feeling light-headed.

"Look at you, you can't even argue with me without nearly dropping from exhaustion!" Lucian exclaimed, ignoring the true observation made by his captain and long-time friend.

"You're still considering marrying her, after being insulted last month by that message from King Marin?" Lilianna looked at him in shock; this was not like her brother. She had been insulted in regards to her honor by residing in a camp of men, He had been insulted by it being said of him that he was a weak, and naïve King, and that they both were barbarians, unfit to rule.

"Yes, he is, though I have no idea why!"

"How could you…?"

"Quiet, I wish to speak." Lucian said, silencing them. They stared at him expectantly, waiting.

"First, Tobias, sit down, before you _fall_ down! That's an order Captain!" Lucian added firmly, pointing to a chair. He sat.

"Yes, I want to be alone, but I also want you ready to fight; I want you, Lilianna to practice, train the new recruits that are pouring in Cair Paravel's gates to volunteer, and keep this man in line, as he listens to you better than he does me. Why I don't know," Lilianna blushed as he spoke; glad she wasn't facing her brother.

"And Tobias, I want you to rest, recuperate, train Dakar as a battle stallion and parade horse, get back on your feet, give the Cavalry time to rest as well, train lightly, you're all so wound up I'm worried that you might become unfit for battle. I would like it if you would give yourselves this respite, small as it is. Please Tobias, Lilianna?" He looked over at her, smiling in his familiar way, trying to get them to see this from his point of view.

"Alright Lucian, I'll go, but _please_, promise my you will send for me if you do decide." Lilianna said, moving to go.

"Fine sister, I shall, a promise forever sealed." Lucian grinned as she walked out, saying the oath like he used to when they were children and she made him promise something.

"I know, don't think I don't." Lucian said, causing Tobias to stop and turnaround from walking away. He looked at him questioningly.

"You, her, I can tell, I'm not stupid, and I did watch my mother and father, I was _eight_ when he disappeared, not two." Lucian said sarcastically after gesturing to where Lilianna had walked out of sight.

"You think…?" Tobias asked, his tone guarded.

"I know you wouldn't do something to dishonor her, but there are spies and rumors that do. I know that you care for her, I also know that you don't want to lose her, which is why I made her go with you, you can keep her from harm better than I while I have to think over this decision."

"Fine, but I'm only doing this because you're my friend, and I knew your father." Tobias said, walking away.

Lucian sighed and stared out at the battlefield. Why, in the name of Aslan, was everything getting so complicated?

**{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}{+}**

So, Lilianna and Tobias moved out from the camp in the next three days, worried, but doing what Lucian had asked of them. Tobias looked hard at Lucian as he called for his men to line up and get ready to move out in an orderly fashion, wondering why suddenly, his friend was thinking of marrying the princess. Lucian nodded, knowing what he was thinking about. The captain shouted for his men to march, the creaking of saddles and the stamp of hooves echoing through the Narnian encampment as her famous one hundred and fifty horse Cavalry left.

Lilianna worked hard training recruits who were eager to help the Narnian cause, offering their swords and their lives for the sake of Narnia and her freedom. It gave her something to think about over her long stay at Cair Paravel other than wondering about her brother.

Tobias went easy on his men and allowed them respite from their heavy practice. He spent most of his time training Dakar, as there was something about the three-year-old stallion that he liked. Perhaps it was the reminiscent feeling of days of old with the High King as his teacher, or perhaps it was the way the colt acted; the black horse had a fiery spirit like his father. His markings were small, a star on his forehead, covered by a long wavy mane, and thick feathering on his legs. The horse trained easily to parade walks, and he seemed to love practicing for war. Though the real test would come on the battlefield.

**{+}{+}{+}**

It was early morning, three months later, when the clang of many shod hooves on cobblestone in the courtyard woke the young Narnian queen. She walked out to her balcony, which overlooked the large area, a thick robe wrapped around her shoulders. The Cavalry was heading out, every single one of them, she saw Tobias at the head of the columns, giving orders, directing with his hand while steadying his excited stallion with the other. He looked up in her direction, as if he knew she would be there, and smiled at her for barely a second, before giving the command to move out. She stared after them long past the time they'd moved out of sight, wondering why she wasn't going with them, and what her brother was planning.

Walking out to the stables later in the day to saddle Brightfire, she noticed that he had taken Dakar as well. It was to be many months more before she would hear word about her brother and Tobias.

**{+}{+}{+}**

Tobias dismounted at the opening to Lucian's pavilion and walked in. Lucian looked up from the papers he was studying to smile at his friend, he also noted with some relief that Tobias looked like his old self once again.

"What have you called me back for?" He asked, looking interested.

"I want you to be ready to fight if I call you to, I needed you to be nearby in case the King of Telmar, and the Crown Prince and Princess, decide to visit this camp on peaceful terms as well." Lucian said, looking him in the eye. Tobias tensed slightly at their mention, but didn't let his temper get the best of him, nor did he speak his mind. Lucian smiled; at least his friend was trying to be supportive.

Some days later, Lucian, Tobias, and several other officers and soldiers were riding through the woods, talking of politics and other pressing matters, when Tobias heard some noise coming for a grove of trees a few feet from where they were standing on horseback. Suddenly some doves flew to the sky, a second before Tobias saw the archer aiming for Lucian. Urging his stallion forward, he pushed the King and his mount out of firing range, taking the arrow meant for the king himself.

"Why did you do that?" Lucian said, kneeling beside his friend as several other soldiers rode for the camp to get help.

"Protect…the King…then…yourself, words…to live by." The captain whispered, looking up at him with a weak grin.

**{+}{+}{+}**

"He'll live, but barely. He needs to stay in bed for several days, no riding, no jumping, no _moving_, and most definitely no more near-death stunts like this one if he wants to recover!" Dr. Straus, the physician said firmly, looking at the sleeping young man lying on the cot in the hospital tent while he talked to Lucian.

"It was only by Aslan that I removed that arrowhead." He continued, walking toward the tent opening.

"I'm glad you did, I don't know what I would've done had we lost him." Lucian said, after the older man walked out, looking back into the tent briefly before striding to his pavilion.

**{+}{+}{+}**

A week later, Tobias was looking out the tent opening, wondering what all the commotion was before calling a nearby soldier to come to him.

"Soldier, what's going on?" He asked, after the young man entered the tent.

"The Telmarine King and his son and daughter are coming to talk with the King Lucian! Everyone is assembling on the green in preparation to look sharp for their arrival in less than an hour." He waved the boy away, thinking about what this could mean, when Lucian entered, looking regal in his crown and best clothes, but also uncomfortable.

"I believe you've heard?" He asked, looking around uncertainly, wondering if his friend was going to be very angry with him.

"Yes. I wonder if you've found a way to make my missing less obvious?"

"No. I hadn't thought of that actually, but you're right, something needs to be done." He left the tent to go worry about that.

Tobias lay still several minutes before making his decision; everything comes with a cost he thought, standing slowly. He winced at the pain, reaching for a tent pole to support himself with before walking forward.

**{+}{+}{+}**

Lucian rode on the King Marin's right side down the path in the middle of the Narnian ranks, the young adults on the man's left. Prince Caspian and Princess Atarah looked around in interest at the strange Narnian soldiers, things they'd only heard about in stories and bedtime fairy tales as small children. The young Narnian King nearly stopped in shock when they came to the Cavalry unit. Tobias stood at the head of his troops, on horseback no less, one hand on the reins, the other on his sword hilt. He met Lucian's eye and bowed, looking at the Telmarine royalty as his head came back up slowly. Windstorm sidestepped nervously, causing his rider to grimace with pain, but that was gone in an instant as his rider quickly took control of him again. Lucian looked his friend up and down, wondering how much this was costing him, and was this really worth his going through so much pain?

"Quite a leader you've got there, King Lucian. He looks Telmarine; you didn't steal him from me, did you?" King Marin smiled coldly, his rude joke about Tobias catching Lucian off guard.

"No, your Highness, he comes from Glasswater, near Cair Paravel. And yes, he is almost the best leader here, but all of them are good men. I trust them with my life, and yours." If Marin could be rude, so could he.

"Have him come with us; if you trust him so much, then perhaps he should be here. Besides, I like to hear about the war from their point of view." The older man looked over at the younger man with an expression that said; _"I dare you to refuse."_ "_Well_," thought Lucian, "_dare all you want, he needs to rest and recover_." But Tobias heard the conversation, and rode his horse slowly over to Lucian's side; he nodded, not able to speak because of the pain at that moment. He would not let his King suffer ridicule because of his injuries.

"Come over to this side, Captain, I want to talk with a fellow soldier and leader." The King motioned to his left as his children moved their horses to the outside. The Captain acquiesced.

"So, young man, do you have someone waiting on you at home, or are you just a roaming soldier, here to follow your King?" the man asked boldly, looking over into Tobias's dark eyes.

"A man's private life has much to be desired, and I find that it's rather hard to love someone when you do not know if you shall live from one day unto the next." Tobias answered artfully, not denying that he loved someone, nor confirming it either. He gave a low hiss of pain and nearly folded double when Windstorm half-reared, wanting to fight with the King's chestnut stallion. Marin looked over at him oddly before reining his horse back into a parade walk.

"What do you think of this war, my friend?" The Telmarine tried again, wondering if there was anything that would bait the silent, stoic young man riding beside him.

"I believe that war is wrong from either point of view, but if the cause is worthy, I say, gladly shall I die, for anything worthy to be fought over, should be. Many lives are lost, and both sides suffer, I see no reason to hold prejudice against any one side as we are all soldiers serving the better leader, at least, better in our own eyes." Again, he easily evaded the trapping question, not wanting to be caught in an insulting retort.

"I am amazed at your knowledge, who taught you?" the King asked, truly surprised by the young man's easy way with words.

"A great man, and, my horses." He grinned, looking down at the reins, sorting them through his fingers as if there were more than two. High King Peter _had_ taught him many ways to skillfully avoid confrontation in conversation with the enemy. But his horses had taught him humility, and to never be too lax and easy after several sentences, like how they watched for predators and wolves while they grazed or challenged one another to a fight.

"Fascinating, I would like it greatly if you would sit at my left during the dinner, as your manner of speaking is eloquent and refreshing after living in camp with not but roughened warriors to talk with."

"This is a request you know I would be foolish to refuse, do you not?" Tobias asked, looking over at the older man.

"Yes. I do. You dare not refuse!" King Marin laughed as if in jest, but his undertone carried a sharpness to it that begged, not of amusement, but of a threat.

**{+}{+}{+}**

It was perhaps an hour until the dinner that was being prepared in their honor, and so Lucian, Tobias, Marin, Caspian and Atarah, including several officers, Narnian and Telmarine alike, were standing under the covered area, talking over many things.

Atarah stood next to her brother, looking at her father talking to the Narnian Cavalry Captain and his King, when she noticed it.

"Caspian, look, the Captain, he's been wounded, he's bleeding!" She whispered, pulling at her brother's sleeve to get his attention. The fourteen year old looked to where his older sister was subtly gesturing. It was true, he was. He had put his hand to his side, and, drawing it away, revealed blood on his fingertips and pinpricks of scarlet blooming rapidly across the side of his dark blue shirt.

He looked at his sister in concern, he harbored no especial fondness for Narnians, but seeing a man, any man, Narnian or not, suffering and yet acting as though he wasn't for show bothered the boy. Brother and sister stood there for seemingly half an hour, watching the young Captain's face go pale, and the spots of blood darken, wondering how they could help, without seeming weak to their father.

It was the Captain though, who solved their quandary.

"Lucian, your Majesty, I am, as my King knows, recovering from a wound, I would be pleased if you would grant me leave, as I'm beginning to feel rather…light headed." He grabbed for a tent pole, wincing as he removed his hand from the reopened wound to steady himself, this time his moan of pain was audible.

The King Marin looked at the young man with genuine concern, realizing that this had been why the Narnian King was hesitant to allow his Captain to join them.

"By all means, Captain, take your leave, I do not wish to be the reason for a good man such as yourself falling ill."

"My King, I'd walk, but I don't believe I can get to where I need by myself, would you mind…?" Tobias motioned with a tilt of his head to where some of his cavalry officers stood talking.

"Forgive me, Tobias! Men, yes you, please, I'd like if you'd take your Captain back to the infirmary tent." Lucian ordered the men. They hurriedly came over and helped their leader out, worried about his countenance, as he seemed to have lost a great deal of blood.

Meanwhile, two young adults let out sighs of relief.

**{+}{+}{+}{+}**

Though the meeting of peace had gone well, Lucian had gently refused the offer of uniting both kingdoms in marriage, there were those nearer to King Marin than the Narnians, and they wanted Narnia, their greedy minds reached for her fertile plains, broad rivers and large forests. So they convinced their king, in a twisted and manipulative way that he should continue his war against Narnia. And the king listened, letting his mind be easily swain to see from their point of view instead. How dark his soul that he should be so easily beset by thoughts of mere men, his subjects?

And so, the war between Narnia and Telmar waged on.

**{+}{+}{+}**

During one battle, a crazed young stallion ran into enemy lines, and stood shaking by the corral for their horses. It was some hours later when a young dark-haired boy came across him, he walked up slowly, speaking gently to the frightened beast. When he finally managed to reach for its reins, the horse had calmed down enough for him to tell that it was a Narnian war stallion.

He slowly walked back with it to his father's tent.

"What do you have there Caspian?" Marin asked of his son.

"A runaway war-horse father. I should like to keep him, if I may." The boy added hurriedly.

Now, Marin recognized the stallion as one belonging to that young Cavalry Captain, the horse he called Dakar, but he didn't tell his son that. Instead he asked:

"And what do you plan on naming him?"

"Destrier, father, Destrier." The boy said, looking up at the noble head of the black stallion.

"A fine name, for a war-horse that is." Marin said, dismissing his son with a wave of his hand.

**{+}{+}{+}**

Lilianna rode into the Narnian camp six months later with the newly trained recruits following behind her. Telling them to report to the King, she rode out to where she could look over the battlefield. What she saw shocked her. The ground was dark with blood, weapons and men, dead men being removed by their living comrades. She knew something was wrong as she stared down at it. She galloped Brightfire back to Lucian's pavilion; she had to ask him what had happened here.

"Lucian! Lucian, what has happened here? Why haven't you sent for me sooner to come bring help?" She asked, bursting in on her brother. He looked up at her through tired eyes.

"Lilianna, why have you come? I thought I requested just the troops?" He asked in grievance, looking at her momentarily with great despair.

"Because, I felt that I should come, I haven't heard anything from you in over three months, so I assumed the worst, and I was right."

"Oh, Lilianna, you shall not care to hear this grave news I bring." He said.

"We were ambushed, King Marin broke his promise of peace, so many were killed or injured, Tobias was one of them, he's…not well… Lilianna, he's dying. And he knows it," Lucian paused, and looked at her sadly before moving on. "He told me not to write you, even though he wants to speak with you, and I cannot go against a dying man's last wishes, however odd they might be. He was still recovering from taking an arrow for me several months ago now, when we went into battle, he just hasn't ever had the proper time to recover fully. You and I both know he has waited only this long for you." Lucian felt wretched to be telling her this.

"Where is he?" She asked, her voice breaking as she whispered the words.

"In the infirmary tent, I ordered for him to be kept to himself, as he was a great captain and leader, one of my best comrades. Ask one of the soldiers there, they'll know if you can't find your way." Lucian said, turning away from her to dwell in his own grief.

**{+}{+}{+}**

Lilianna walked among the wounded, looking at them, wondering what this war was really all about. Why should freedom come at the price of such suffering, surely there could be a more peaceable way than this? She went through the partition that was sectioned off for officers. Seeing him, she walked over hesitantly, wondering if she should bother him. But he saw her first.

"Lilianna?" He whispered, looking at her as if she was an allusion created by his imagination.

"I'm here, what is it?" She asked softly, coming to sit by him.

"I'm not dreaming you?" He asked, reaching out and touching her hair that fell over one shoulder.

"No, I came, Lucian sent for the recruits, but I came with them." She said, wondering how his brown eyes could've lost their laughter and life in so short a time.

"You will always be stubborn, won't you? Appearing as fragile as a lily's white petals, yet as strong as the ones that grow wild, blooming in the snow." He said, smiling a little as he spoke.

"How can you manage to turn an insult into praise?" She asked, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Practice, my Queen, many years of it." He replied slowly.

"How many times have I told you, don't call me that." She laughed weakly as her tears fell.

"I'm older, don't boss me around." He said, doing his best to look cross.

"Lilianna, might I beg a favor?" He looked up at her, a question in his gaze.

"What?" She asked.

"Take care of Windstorm, please?"

"Of course I'll take care of him, but how could you ask me something like that?" She said, looking angry and confused.

"Because, I knew it would make you angry!" He smiled at his joke, he'd always tormented her with things like that when they'd been younger, trying to get a rise out of her. It usually worked.

"I want you….to do something…for me, after I die." He said, his voice growing softer.

"Don't say that! How can you-"

"Because I _know_ it, Lilianna, don't…..don't ignore the truth, don't…refuse to….acknowledge….what will come. I want you to…not mourn me when I die, do not go around…as if I was the only man to love; I would not like….to think of hurting you….by loving you. Do this…as a dying man's last request, this you cannot deny."

"Don't tell me not to mourn you! I will, I do not think I can prevent it!" She said, her tears falling again as she thought of…after.

"I don't mean….you cannot to that, but don't make a….crusade of it…..I will not allow you to do that….over me. Don't." He said calmly, wanting her to understand.

"I think I understand." She replied slowly.

"Good….I'm sorry for this…..forgive me." He said, closing his eyes. She sat there for some time, watching his breathing become shallower. Until it stopped. She pushed his dark curls back from his forehead; he had always hated it when she did that, telling her to stop controlling him. She pulled back and sobbed into her hands. Why, why was life this way? Making you choose between freedom for others and the one person you loved?

She ran out of the tent, wanting to run somewhere, but not knowing _where_, just away. She found herself at the corrals, the only horse in them at the moment being Tobias's Windstorm. The black stallion, usually so wild and spirited, stood silently looking off at the tents, his ears pricked, one of them flicking back as she came near. He had felt the change. He knew.

She grabbed a bridle and put it on him, he stood entirely still, unusual for him. But it was as if the big horse knew what had happened. She jumped onto his broad back and circled the corral fence before jumping it. His stride ate up the ground, galloping wherever he wanted, she didn't care. Suddenly he stopped, she looked up, they were on the battlefield, almost in the middle of it. She dismounted and collapsed into the dirt, sobbing uncontrollably. The dark, battle-scarred war-horse lowered his head to her, before raising it and neighing a piercing scream, as stallions do when they have lost one of their own.

"If loving someone causes this much heartache, then I shall never marry, as I do not want to go through this again…" She sobbed to the stallion, which nosed her gently, in a comforting manner.

**{+}{+}{+}**

"_If loving someone besides One's country causes them heartbreak and grief, like that of my Mother's, than I shall remain unwed, never having to suffer as my Mother had." Some chose to remain ignorant of this, others took it to heart and never asked for her hand._

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia Present Time ~**

Caspian looked up and Susan turned from what she was doing when a soldier rushed in.

"Sire, Calormen….She's….here! It's….war!" He shouted breathlessly.

Caspian looked over at Susan, what now? The men weren't ready, but as King, he had to give the order.

"Prepare the men, ready the cavalry, if it's a fight to the death Calormen wants, we shall give her it!"

The soldier nodded and rushed out of the tent.

"I suppose today is the day we discover how many are still loyal to Aslan and the Crown?" Caspian asked, reaching for his sword.

"Yes, I believe it is. For Narnia and for Aslan, for a cause that is just." She said, smiling before walking out to think, as she did before any great battle. He sighed, was this the right thing to do?

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

Durken stood as the Wolf raced into camp, panting heavily before stopping in front of him and Glenstorm.

"Sire, Calormen is approaching the second camp, what shall we do? Wait for orders or join them to protect the King and Queen?"

"Are the troops ready?" The Centaur asked.

"Yes, always. Ready to move out if the order is given!"

"Are you and your family ready to fight?" Glenstorm asked, turning to the young Star.

"We would rather die for Aslan than anything else." He replied evenly.

"Very well, we shall be ready, watching to see when and if our King and Queen become most in need of our help, or Aslan tells us to join them." The Wolf ran off to give the order, Durken departing as well to tell his family.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

Serene finished braiding her long black hair down her back; it would better keep it out of her way when she fought. She fingered a few silver hairs that wove through it, wondering when she had acquired them.

Daniel came in, surprised to see his mother dressed in clothes like a boy's, with her hair back and a broadsword at her side.

"Well, my son, what do you think?" She asked, smiling as she spread her arms, asking his opinion of her choice of attire.

"You look as if you're going to fight." He said slowly, realizing that was the reason for her dress.

"Are you coming? Calormen has been sighted, Narnia is at war again, and I must go." She said calmly, handing him another broadsword.

He reached for the weapon slowly, knowing what this meant, he was hesitant, but he was ready, Aslan would guide them.

"For Aslan and for Narnia, always mother, _always_." He replied, now taking hold firmly of the sword. She smiled and relinquished it to him.

"Come my son, there is little time." Mother and son walked out into the light, ready to defend their country with their lives and their weapons.

**{+}{}{+}{}{+}{}{+}{}{+}**

"_Fight as if for your love and life, with everything you possess, because that sword and your life might become the __only__ thing you possess." ~ _A **Just** King.

"_Magnificence is not in what war stallion you ride; in what crown you bear, in what sword you carry, or what country you come from, but in your manner. It is how you act when you lead, that is what your father learned, and that is what he would've said in this moment. It is how willing you are to __die__ for something you __believe__ in." ~ _A **Great** General.

"_I believe that war is wrong from either point of view, but if the cause is worthy, I say, gladly shall I die, for anything worthy to be fought over, should be. Many lives are lost, and both sides suffer, I see no reason to hold prejudice against any one side as we are all soldiers serving the better leader, at least, better in our own eyes." ~ _A **Selfless** Captain.

"_I know in my soul, that Aslan is the only thing to believe in, the only road to follow, the only light in my life, even when at times it's hard to tell, and so, I am not afraid to die_. A **Courageous** Young Man.

_**For Truth and Justice, life comes full circle. Let the Lion roar!**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Ok, I know, I didn't have any scenes from Edmund, Lucy and Peter in our world, but I had to finish with the Golden Age scenes and bring some questions to an end. I don't think there shall be anymore of those type scenes again, [Golden Age scenes]. **

**See, I did a theory research on the Caspian line, and found that nine Telmarine Kings could not have ruled over a span of 1300 years, unless they each lived a long and full life of around 80-90 years. So enter King Marin. {plus those extra thirty-perhaps forty-years I gave of Narnian rulers}**

**I made up his name, but it could've been very likely that there was a King who ruled during this time in Telmar, had a son which he named Caspian, fought many battles with Narnia because of various reasons, {one of which I used in this plotline} Died in battle, paving the way for his son, King Caspian the Conqueror. **

**If the end of Narnia was similar to the way I portrayed it, then by the time Narnia met her end, Prince Caspian the First would've been in his twenties.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>[Author's Secrets]<span>**

**{Shhh...!}**

**By the way, when Lucian died, he was the same age, {thirty} that Peter was when he vanished from Narnia, and Lilianna was the same age when she died as her mother was when _she_ passed on, that age being twenty-eight. I thought that was fitting, in a way.**

**The bit where Prince Caspian finds Dakar and brings him to his father, King Marin and says he's going to name the stallion "Destrier" is important, but it's only one of my many underlying plots weaved throughout this tale. **

**The thing is, the word "Destrier" basically means "finest war-horse" it was the best type of horse that knights wanted if they were going into battle, or just a really, really good mount. But they were very expensive to obtain. So, if Peter and Amalia, {remember, they had those incredibly fast war-horses, she had her mare and he had his stallion} started breeding their horses, and made this really fine quality lineage of the war-horse breed, they would be considered "Destrier" stallions and mares because of this quality in breeding. **

**And if you look closely at all the horsey parts, you can see where all the horses are connected through Peter and Amalia's mounts. So, every Prince Caspian had a stallion {my created theory for this story} from Dakar's line, a "Narnian" stallion. And every so often the name "Destrier" would be given to their mount because of the colt's fine breeding. **

**{As you can tell, I'm also a horse obsessed human being, not just a Narnia obsessed human being} **

* * *

><p><strong> I know that my reason for Lilianna never marrying was slightly harsh, but, well, real life stuff happens to people. And, as I'm sure we all know, everyone doesn't get their fairy-tale ending. <strong>

**Basically, if you didn't get it, {I didn't make it very clear} what Tobias was trying to tell Lilianna was to not allow herself to become alone like her mother, he wanted her to move on, not dwell in her loss of him forever, also like Amalia. And you can suppose in your minds that she didn't, she moved on, but she never forgot him. Just because she never married doesn't mean she still felt her loss, she just didn't need that sort of attachment as the war between those two countries went on, probably foreseeing her death in battle, as many soldiers and warriors do. **

**Had she lived, she probably would've fallen in love again and married. {Here I go, talking about my character as if she's real} But, that never happening we can never really know. {I'm doing it _again!} _**

**Moving on; **

**I _do not_ know if Narnia ever had a cavalry, but they probably did, not that it was ever famous. All those quotes at the end of this chapter you probably recognized as being in several other chapters, one of which is in this one. I did that because those words are mainly what this story was all about, love, life, and believing in something that you know is right, and then being ready to die for that thing you believe in. **

**King Marin asked if Tobias was Telmarine, as he looks like one, he's tall, has dark hair, and brown eyes. Not that he is, but he _was_ found as a little boy wandering in the woods near Glasswater, no one could find out from him where his parents were, just that they didn't survive the White Witch's cruel winter. Who knows? Oh, that's right, _I'm_ supposed to, well, I'll leave that up to your imaginations! **

**{By-the-way, the rude part of King Marin's insinuation about Tobias is that, he's obviously a Narnian, and he's fighting for the other side, not Marin's. To even have the edacity to suggest such a thing was insulting and just plain trying to get a rise out of young King Lucian.}**

* * *

><p><strong>Another thing, horses do mourn their dead, humans that they knew, or one of their own, I've seen this, it's really sad. It's almost like they can tell that they're gone, like the deceased being's soul has departed the space it used to fill. They get real quiet and stand totally still, some don't make any noise, some do.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>I liked the sad feel that seems to generate from this chapter, it feels real in a way, I don't know if any of you readers feel the same, but I get that vibe from this one. <strong>

**I'm thinking of doing a "Looking back" short chaptered One-shot of all the people in this story that pass on, like Lilianna, Lucian, Amalia, and Tobias, you know, just something so you can see what their lives were like before it all. They wouldn't take anything away from this story, nor give anything away about the next one, just something to stand on their own. "In Memory Of" type things. I don't know, tell me if you think I should do that. {They would not take me away from writing this quintet at all.} **

**There's tons of stuff that I wanted to point out about this chapter that I'm sure I'm forgetting, but if you have any questions, just leave a Review or PM me if it's a really deep question and/or curiosity.**

* * *

><p><strong>Also, I'm thinking of doing a one-shot featuring Narnia, Christmas, stories of long ago, and a holiday song. Just for the up-coming holiday, Christmas, or X-mas, whatever you guys out there call it! <strong>

* * *

><p><strong>ILoveFanfiction:<strong>

**I'm glad you like my writing of those battle segments! They were pretty hard, I watched some WW2 stuff, movies involving swordplay, and listened to some powerful/emotional music to get in the mood to write that, I still don't know if it's very authentic sounding. **

**Yes, twisting plots together, especially so many, is very hard! Thanks for telling me how much you enjoyed that! I'm also glad you liked Tobias and Lilianna, I didn't know if that was _too many_ relationships in one story, but then, this is several lives being combined into one book. **

**Things do take me by surprise in this particular story, this is actually my first story I've written that just grew like a log cabin, you know, starts out as one room, then more rooms and stuff are added as more are needed. {In this case, more detail and more characters as the story unfolds.}**

**I have also noticed how author's go in journeys with their characters, I do that pretty much every time I write! Sometimes, {if possible} I do things that they do, or I've done them, so I know better how to describe the actions. **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, sad as most of it was, and I hope you like the end of this first fanfic when it comes, and what more there is of this quintet to come! **

**Happy Holidays! ~ W.H.1492**

* * *

><p><strong>Bekah:<strong>

**I hope to hear from you soon. All the holidays keep people pretty busy, I know! I hope you're well, and everyone in your family is in good health also, Happy Holidays to you too! ~ W.H.1492**


	13. Goodbyes, Snow and Abandonment

**Chapter 13: Goodbyes, Snow, and Abandonment.**

**~ England, Hendon House ~**

"I can't believe Mother and Father are making us stay with that little twerp!" Edmund bemoaned their fate from his bed, wishing to be anywhere but here, because that meant going to _Eustace's_ house.

"Quiet Ed, we shall just have to make the best of this, like we did with the professor, remember? That wasn't all bad." Peter said, trying to think positively, but it was rather difficult with Edmund moaning out all the faults and horrible things about their Aunt and Uncle, because what he was saying was true.

"But we had _Narnia_ Peter! And I don't think that house would ever be anything like that! I don't see Aunt Alberta as having a wardrobe we could walk into, besides, I've tried every one I've come across, and none of them are even remotely magical." Edmund said, sitting up and looking over at his older brother.

"Peter, I know you're trying to be kind, but Ed does have a point. And you will only be staying for a few days before leaving to finish your studies with the Professor; and we shall have to stay two _months_!" Lucy said from where she was sitting by the window, staring out at the slowly falling snow.

"Well, perhaps you shall find Narnia when you're not looking for it; at least you still have the hope of going back." Peter said, his voice getting softer as he finished.

"Oh, I'm sorry Peter, it's just that, well, you know, it could be thousands of years have passed by the time we do go again, what fun would that be? I should like it if I could see Susan and Caspian again, instead of meeting some new ally or Prince we have to help." Edmund said, running his fingers through his hair at the prospect.

"Things will get better for you Peter, you'll see, and someday we shall all be with Aslan again!" Lucy whispered, coming to sit next to her brother. He glanced over at her with a sad smile. She returned it with a hopeful look.

"I hope you are right, Lu, for this is the loneliest journey of my life." Peter sighed.

"It will all come aright in the end. As Aslan wills." Edmund said, standing next to them, his hand on his brother's shoulder in comfort.

"As Aslan wills." They all echoed. Soon nothing but the sound of the motorcars driving through the snow could be heard, as they remembered the way it was.

"_**Take care of them, Peter."**_

"_**I will Mum."**_

"_**Goodbye!"**_

"_**Come on, back, back, back!"**_

"_**But that's a girl's coat!"**_

"_**I know."**_

"_**He's a beaver, he shouldn't be saying anything!"**_

"_**It's so big."**_

"_**It's the world dear; did you expect it to be small?"**_

"_**Smaller."**_

"_**It's my fault Aslan, I was too hard on him."**_

"_**We all were."**_

"_**Come on Ed, like Oreius showed us!"**_

"_**Whoa horsey!"**_

"_**My Name is **__**Phillip**__**."**_

"_**They've come, in numbers and weapons far greater than our own!"**_

"_**Numbers do not win a battle."**_

"_**No, but I bet they help."**_

"_**To the glistening Eastern Sea, I give you Queen Lucy, the Valiant!"**_

"_**To the great Western Wood, I give you King Edmund, the Just!"**_

"_**To the gentle Southern Sun, I give you Queen Susan, the Gentle!"**_

"_**And to the clear Northern Sky, I give you, High King Peter, the Magnificent!"**_

"_**May you wisdom grace us until the stars rain down from the heavens."**_

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Durken rushed to find his siblings and parents.

"We're leaving, Calormen has been sighted! We shall wait until it seems as if the King and Queen are in need of our help, or Aslan intervenes." He exclaimed, looking around at his family as he finished.

"For Aslan!" Arran shouted in reply.

"Let's go!" Erikk said, reaching for his quiver and bow.

"Yes! I'd rather do this than ride round in the dark like a thief or a cad." Moriah said, running after her siblings to go saddle their horses.

"But, won't I stand out? I mean, who has ever seen someone glow besides Narnians?" Zephyr asked, looking uncertainly at his brother.

"Exactly, no one has besides us; you'll scare them out of their minds!" Durken laughed, looking at his brother with an infectious grin.

"Why can't I go? Must I stay with Mother?" Gavan moaned, looking dejected.

"You need to protect her and Lyra, a most important task, didn't you know that? If I wasn't the oldest, I'd probably stay with you." Durken said, smiling at his youngest brother.

"Fine, but only because you make it sound better than it will be." Gavan grumbled.

"Good. Mother, Father will be with us, I'll watch out for him, don't worry too much." Durken said, grabbing his bridle and saddle as he spoke.

"I will worry as much as a mother always does, because all my children will be on the battlefield, well, excluding Gavan." Merit said, looking over where he was standing, looking glum.

"Yes, blessed me! I get to stay and do nothing, while _some_ people get all the glory!" Gavan shouted. Durken just laughed as he walked out, shaking his head in amusement. He still had one person to say goodbye to.

**{~~~~~~}**

"I wish I could go with you! But I'm not much good at fighting." Lyra said, looking down. Durken had come to tell her goodbye and what was happening.

"Just pray that Aslan protects us. I'll come back." He said, smiling.

"I will. But don't think that this is the only way to be redeemed. You're already forgiven, but if you must prove this to yourself, then go, just remember what I said, Aslan is the only one you have to prove yourself to, and I know he already knows your heart."

"I love you." He said, walking away to join his siblings who were mounted on their horses, talking amongst themselves.

"And I you." She whispered, before going to go find Merit, they could console each other, both had something to lose. Snow started to fall as they rode away.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia ~**

"When are we going to join them?" Daniel asked, walking behind his mother down a mountain trail.

"We'll wait until nightfall, there's less chance of us being seen by the traitors in the king and queen's camp then, I want to get to them alive, not shot down by some ignorant guard's arrow." Serene said decidedly, jumping over a small raven that a mountain stream had carved out across the narrow path.

"Are we going to use our powers in this battle, or just act like mortals?" He asked, curious, because his mother hadn't mentioned _not_ using them.

"I was planning on using them, does that suit you?" Serene asked, turning her head to look at him over her shoulder, a smile on her face.

"Yes, I'd rather like that."

"Why don't we practice for a moment, would that vex you?" She asked stopping and turning to face him.

"I would actually be grateful if we could." Daniel admitted.

"Good, we were going to have to anyway, the path is blocked, landslide." Serene said, motioning in front of her where a wall of rock blocked any further movement.

"It would give us something to pass time with." Daniel said, moving forward.

"Exactly." Serene grinned before raising her hands, this was something both enjoyed.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia ~**

A cool winter breeze blew as Caspian and Susan rode out to the head of their military lines. She looked over at him and smiled apprehensively as they reined to a stop before turning back to the vast desert, the place they would soon be fighting on as a battleground. The Calormen lines stretched out across the sandy plain in both directions, seeming greater than it really was.

"I wonder, if this was how Lucian felt the last time he fought in battle." Susan whispered, looking down as tears came to her eyes, thinking of her nephew.

"I don't think he had any doubts. I know that what we're doing is right Susan, though, I would rather have Aslan with us."

"Where has he gone, and doesn't he know we need him?"

"I do not know, perhaps something good will come of this, whatever the cost." Caspian's eyes swept over the never-ending lines of the enemy.

Far away an eagle shrieked, causing Susan to remember battles of old, and their aftermath.

"_**Which is why we have to stay. I've seen what the White Witch can do, I've helped her do it, and we can't leave them behind to suffer for it!" **_

"_**Oh, so you knew this would happen?"**_

_**I didn't know what would happen. Which is why we should've left when we still could!" **_

"_**But, logically, that's impossible."**_

"_**You're a family, she's your sister….you might just try acting like one." **_

"_**Just because some man in a red coat hands you a sword doesn't make you a hero!" **_

"_**Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen." **_

"_**What were you all doing in the wardrobe?"**_

"_**Pretend like you're talking to me."**_

"_**Uh, we are talking to you."**_

"_**I think it's time we found out what's going on here."**_

"_**Prince…Caspian? I believe you called." **_

"_**You might want to get up there; I don't expect the Telmarines to keep their word." **_

"_**Keep smiling." **_

"_**But…did they do something wrong?" **_

"_**No my dear one, they've grown up, they've learned what they can from this world, and now it's time for them to live in their own." **_

"_**It's not what I thought it'd be, but it's alright, someday you'll see too." **_

"No matter what happens, you are a good king, and Narnia will always remember you." Susan looked over at Caspian, she meant ever word.

"I hope so."

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ England, Hendon House ~**

Edmund walked slowly to the Swordfighting School through the icy sludge on the sidewalk. He found that even though he didn't like coming here, he'd grown attached to it in a way. Even though he'd made several nearly ruinous errors here, it was still wonderful to practice with a blade again. But it was nothing like Narnia, where those were real swords, these felt so childish. Still, there is something inside everyone that will miss even the most simple of things.

He entered the imposing stone building, walking toward the headmaster's office, he was going today to tell the man that he was leaving for the Holidays, and most likely wouldn't ever be coming back.

"Signor Gloziella?" Edmund called, entering his office.

"Edmund, in here, what is it?" The man walked out of a room just off his office, a smile on his face at seeing the young man.

"I have some rather disappointing news, I'm afraid." Edmund looked down at the floor, feeling guilty because the older man looked so eager to see him.

"What is it Edmund, I'm sure it can be resolved."

"Not so easily, you see, my parents are travelling to America, my father is in the military, and well, they're sending us to Cambridge to stay with our Uncle and Aunt why they're away, so I won't be coming here to help you with lessons during the summer, and perhaps never again, as next year I'll be graduating. I'm sorry sir."

"Edmund, I'm sorry you're leaving, but don't feel guilty, I knew you probably wouldn't be staying the entire summer. Perhaps this will ease your guilt. The school is moving, to London, so we won't be here next year either."

"Most of the students you remember, like Derrick, Finn and Clem, Jed and all the other older ones, have moved on as well, they've either enlisted or gone back to their families. Derrick is going back into Germany to help get Jews to America, so, this is really goodbye, I shall miss you my young friend." Signor Gloziella held out his hand. Edmund shook it.

"I shall miss this place; you've done more for me than you can ever know." Edmund said, walking toward the door.

"Ah, Edmund, before you go, there was a man here the other day, he left this for you, said something about an "aslan", whatever that is!" Signor Gloziella handed the boy a wrapped package from off his desk. Edmund stared at it for several seconds before taking it.

"What did he look like?" Edmund asked, looking up from the unaddressed brown wrapping.

"He was tall, about Derrick's height I'd imagine, blue eyes, and his hair was a copper color. Why, does he sound like someone you know?" Gloziella asked, looking up from his desk.

"No. Thank you for your time, Sir." Edmund said absently, walking out the door, the package under his arm.

"An interesting boy, I wonder where he ever learned swordplay." Gloziella muttered, going back to cleaning out his desk. The boy would be a puzzle he would ponder over many times in his life, and when he finally found the young man again, he was too late to ask him anything meaningful.

He pulled out a dusty newspaper dated three months ago from one of his drawers, scanning the pages to see what it was that had made him keep it. Not finding anything worthwhile, he shrugged and tossed it in the waste basket. The headlines on the front page read; **"Should Tracks in Central Station Be Replaced to Prevent Further Accidents?" **A solemn wrecking crew stood posing for the picture beneath the caption, a mass of twisted train wreckage behind them.

**{~~~~~~~~~}**

Edmund opened the package when he returned to his dorm, glad that Peter was out, he ripped the wrapping off, and he found that he held seven small ornately tooled leather-bound books in his hands. He stared at them, why would some stranger give him these? A stranger who knew of Aslan, though. Setting the other six aside, he kept the first one.

"This must be important." He muttered, opening the gold clasp that kept it closed. A piece of cream colored paper, folded in half, fell from the pocket inside the cover.

"_**I know you are probably wondering as to why I chose to give these to you. **_

_**Well, perhaps one day, you will be sitting trying to recall a wild adventure in a far-off world,**_

_**And your eyes will fall on these books, then, perhaps, you will know and understand. **_

_**Do not forget, try to remember, never let your heart become lost, remember Edmund,**_

_**In this confusing life, do not lose sight of what is all-important!**_

_**That is the very reason I gave you these. **_

_**Know and understand that I do everything for a reason, even if the pain of that reason is great."**_

"What does that mean?" He wondered, scowling at the boldly scrawled writing across the paper. It sounded like that talk he'd had with Aslan after he'd been rescued from the White Witch. Except Aslan was telling him why he'd saved him, after he'd so blatantly betrayed his siblings. This was confusing. But, the note said he wouldn't understand right away, so, perhaps, someday it would all become clear. Not to play on the words of the note.

He ruffled through the blank pages, wondering why someone would give these nice journal-type books to him, the boy who never wrote if he could help it. Shrugging, he placed them on his shelf, now was not the time to think of them, he had to study for exams. How he would rather be fighting the Fell, or monsters in Narnia than being here, getting treated like a kid! The Holiday was starting to seem quite boring.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ England, St. Finbars School ~**

Lucy looked at her reflection in her dressing-table mirror. She detested going to Aunt Alberta's. The woman always said it was a shame she was so "plain-looking", considering that her mother was "_such_ a beauty when she had been younger" and her father, "was _so_ handsome". She wondered if what the woman said was true, was she plain? In Narnia everyone had said her beauty rivaled that of her sister, Susan, but Lucy now wondered if they weren't just being kind.

She hoped she looked half as pretty as Susan.

"I don't think I shall be able to bear it!" She said, resting her head in her arms as she cried. What Edmund had told her of Eustace didn't move in their favor either. He sounded like a spoiled brat, with some odd habits to boot.

"I wonder if we shall be anything but miserable there?" She moaned, raising her head and looking out her window. Peter would be there; perhaps he would keep Eustace in line, at least, for the short time he was there.

"Oh, Aslan, have you forsaken us in this world?" She whispered, looking up at the leaden sky.

Eustace Clarence, Alberta, and Harold Scrubb, just the _sound_ of those names was enough to make you feel sick. It looked like it was going to be a long, dull Holiday.

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ England, Hendon House ~**

Peter walked across the dark, snow covered street, stopping under a lit lamppost. He looked up at the flame as snow started to fall, again. He smiled reflectively; now, didn't this seem all too familiar? All that was missing was a vast forest, and mythical Narnian creatures. But the ache was getting easier. Not gone, he didn't think it would ever entirely go, but he was starting to learn how to cope, with the help of Henry's "Aslan". He didn't know what to call this Greater Being, "God" or "Aslan", so he decided on Aslan, as that was the name he was most used to.

Now though, he couldn't let his mind wander, he was going to meet someone. A Professor, Professor Lewis. He didn't know if the man would be willing to talk to him, but he was going to try. Professor Kirk had recommended going to him before leaving for Cambridge, then from there to Kirk's. So, here he was, standing under a lamppost in the falling snow, wondering if this was the right decision.

"I'm a King, I've fought wars, written treaties, and one man should not be a problem." He muttered, walking across the street to the house. No turning back.

He stopped at the oak door, startled to see that the brass knocker was in the shape of a lion head. He shook off the snow that was dusting his shoulders and knocked. The door opened, letting out a draft of warm heat and red firelight, reminding him of entering the Beaver's dam. A middle-aged man with dark hair opened the door to him, smiling; he spoke before Peter could open his mouth.

"Let me guess, you're here to speak to my brother, Professor Lewis? No, no, I understand, everyone who walks in here wants to see him, not that I mind, though younger brothers have all the fun."

"Yes, I wanted to ask if I could see Professor Lewis." Peter said, looking at the smiling man uncertainly.

"And your name is…? Where are my manners, come in, it's freezing out there, almost as if some witch has cursed us with this freeze so late in the year." The man added absently, sticking his head out the door and looking around Peter to the now heavily falling white snow outside.

"My name is Peter….Peter Pevensie, and yes, it is cold out here." Startled by the odd turn of phrase the man said about snow. And witches. And freezes. He shook, but not from the cold, from haunting memories.

"Come in; oh! Wipe your feet on the rug first please." He said, taking Peter's coat and depositing it on a planter in the hall, next to the coatrack. Peter's eyebrows rose at that, before removing his coat from the plant and placing it on the rack after the man started walking away, then hurriedly following after him.

"My name is Warren Lewis, Jack's older brother, call me Warie." He said, leading the young man into the kitchen and handing him a mug of cocoa instead of shaking his hand after the introduction.

"Jack…?" Peter asked, standing awkwardly near the kitchen entryway, not knowing if he was invited in this far or if he was supposed to go back to the foyer.

"What? Oh yes, that name has a long history behind it. But it's what I call my brother, Jack. Professor Lewis to you. All his friends and family call him that as a matter of fact, yes, yes we do." Warren finished absently, staring into the fire burning in the kitchen hearth, smiling absently as he recalled a far different time.

Peter stood there feeling that this was somehow a weird curve to Narnia, as if he was talking to a human Mr. Tumnus instead of the faun.

"What am I thinking, you must be tired if you walked here from the train station, and that can seem an excruciatingly long walk in this weather. Sit, please. Tea or coffee? Though it's not the best since the war. How I do miss good coffee."

"I believe I…" Peter held up the mug of cocoa, smiling just a bit at the man's forgetfulness.

"Right, so sorry, but I tend to forget things at times. So sorry, but I meant what I said about sitting." Warren motioned to the chair opposite his before going on, "Jack's still talking to John about the meeting. Or, rather, about the book John wants to write. Fictional, but good stuff, though John says he has several wrinkles to work out, he wants it to be perfect. You know writers." Warren said, staring into the fire.

"Actually no, I don't know any, and not to seem rude, but who might John be?" Peter asked, leaning forward to warm his hands while looking over at Warren with interest.

"Oh, dear me, I forgot you don't go to the college here, Tolkien, J.R.R Tolkien. John. A very good friend of Jack's." He took a sip of his coffee after he finished.

"Hmm. When do you think he might be finished, you see, I can't wait indefinitely, I'm leaving in several days with my siblings, I have to look after them, and well, I can't wait forever."

"I understand. I'll go see-" Warren was cut off by loud exclamations from the hall. Both turned to see what was going on.

"John, I don't think many young people will be interested in Elvish and all that rot! No one shall care what time and dedication you've put into your own language."

"Well, no one will be interested in a faun walking through the snow Jack! You must come up with something more than a basic outline, I mean really!" Two men stood outside the entryway, talking, well, more like shouting, waiving their hands in the air as they spoke. A shorter man with wild grey hair crossed his arms as he finished speaking.

"It will take some time to work out, but I'll get there." The one obviously referred to as Jack said, his temper abating.

"Jack, John, I don't really think this is the place for this conversation. And Jack, this is Mr. Pevensie, Peter Pevensie; he wanted to talk to you about several matters before leaving." Warren motioned discreetly to the blonde haired young man sitting next to him as he talked to his brother.

"In that case, until the next meeting Jack, I can let myself out." Tolkien said, walking away.

"Sorry about that, but John and I tend to disagree on a few subjects. Follow me; we can talk more in my study." Jack said, adjusting his spectacles before turning and walking back the way he'd come. Peter looked over at Warren with confusion before jumping up and hurriedly following after the man. He was starting to wonder if all professors were as odd as Kirk and Lewis.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

**Ok, my internet is back! {for how long, I wonder?} **

**I Don't know anything about the Lewis brothers or Tolkien! Well, I know some things about them, but not everything, nor very well! But this bit with Peter and Lewis was part of my original plot, before I got carried away with Amalia, Serene, and all the others. It goes somewhere, I promise, it actually was going to initially be the most important part of this story, but everything's changed! **

**Mr. Lewis will be an ongoing plot in this quintet. But it may take some time for that to unfurl, especially in the particular way I want it to. **

**I put Lucy in like that in this chapter because it seems to me that she went from being assured and confident in herself from the last movie, to unsure about her appearance and unable to believe what she is truly capable of in the next film. I couldn't figure that out, so I'm giving it a reason. {As that thing about her being pretty wasn't in the books.} **

**The reason this chapter is titled "Goodbyes, Snow and Abandonment" is because the Pevensies in our world are saying goodbye to people they know and things they loved before they leave to Cambridge, snow makes it's first début in my story, and they're all feeling a bit abandoned by Aslan, in Narnia and out of her. **

**All further stories in this quintet will most likely be fifteen or sixteen chapters long, modeled after the actual books in the series. the next chapter in this story will actually be part2 of tis chapter, I had to separate them because together they made an 8,000+ chapter, and that is too long for any normal person to read.**

**My sister said that I need to work on building up Caspian and Susan as a couple, I agree, I haven't really done that, so I'll work on it, I promise!**

* * *

><p><strong>Merry Christmas everyone, and a Happy New Year from Wildhorses1492! <strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Bekah:<strong>

**I'm so glad you liked the previous chapters! **

**I know what you mean about not crying over every sad book you read, {same here!} but I actually wrote chapter 12 till it made me cry, so I could get that emotion across. I don't like killing off my characters, but, well, sometimes things just want to go a certain way, you don't like it, yet you do, so you just leave it. {my case} **

**Yes, you may use both quotes if you like. I don't mind. I really don't mind what people do with my writings, as long as they ask permission to copy, or use them in their own works. **

**Now, do you want my email, or do you have an account on here, if you did I could PM you, but if you don't we need to figure out how to trade emails, because I don't know if I want to write mine in this A/N where everyone can read it. maybe we could agree on a certain date to get on the internet, and I could leave an A/N with my email, and then delete it after a couple minutes, well, tell me if you have a better idea! ~ W.H. 1492**

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><p><strong>ILoveFanfiction:<strong>

**I'm working on the Narnian Christmas, I'm glad you liked the previous chapter! {I hope you like this one...} I will totally work on finishing this quintet, you are so kind to say that you'll read these stories until the end! Well, enjoy, and I agree about Christmas! Merry Christmas to you too, and a Happy New Year! ~ W.H.1492**


	14. As Much As It Hurts

**Chapter 14: As Much As It Hurts.**

**~ England, near Oxford College ~**

Peter stood in the study, once again feeling very out of place. The other man shuffled through some papers on his desk, moving several into the nearly full waste basket next to it, muttering about "garbage, rot, and I can't believe I wrote that". The room was rather large; three of the walls were covered in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, though they really didn't seem to help with the overflow of books on the small tables and chairs, several stacks just on the floor. The fourth wall, behind Mr. Lewis's desk had several frames and pictures hanging on them. It had a warm, quiet feeling to it, the same feeling Peter felt in Narnia in the Great Library at the Cair.

"Now that I've taken care of that, and cleaned the desk, what is it Mr. Pevensie that you wish to speak about?" He asked, sitting down behind the desk and folding his hands.

Peter looked at the still nearly overflowing desk before sitting down in the chair in front of it.

"I've heard you speak on the radio sir, and I was wondering, are you just saying those words to be encouraging, or do you mean them?"

Jack looked up from what he was writing to stare intently into the boy's eyes. He'd never had anyone so young ask him this question before, it was intriguing. He searched the boy's face for signs that he was only asking this to tell his friends that Professor Lewis really was as nutty as some college students proclaimed. But the young man's sapphire blue eyes never wavered from his.

"Yes, I believe them, they changed my life, but, I am curious, why do you ask?" Lewis said, watching his face intently for signs of lying or falseness.

"Because, lately, I have come upon a great intervention in my life, and I have taken the time to listen to your broadcast, instead of passing it by, I found, in doing so, that you seemed to have a great faith. I want to know _how _you have this, in the midst of war and chaos, you speak of peace. I _want_ it." He spoke so earnestly, and with such great conviction, that Lewis all but forgot his initial thoughts of him.

"You know. That much I can tell, now you are but seeking the path." Lewis said softly, as if to himself.

"Sir?" Peter looked at him in confusion.

"Do you believe in God?" Lewis asked abruptly.

"Yes, I do…" he trailed off.

"But?" Lewis smiled and raised his eyebrows as he met Peter's eyes, not expecting the startling reply.

"But a great darkness has found its way to me, and I do not know how to escape it. The pain…I do not have even the strength to resist." He turned his head away, anguish darkening his features.

"I'm so sorry, forgive me." Lewis watched him with compassion, wondering what sort of suffering a man this young could've endured to carry such a great burden.

"I think you know there is a way, I can see as much in your countenance. Yet you want to be reassured. Let me tell you, Mr. Pevensie, you can overcome this, but you need his help."

'**The LORD looks from heaven; he beholds all the sons of men. From the place of his habitation he looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashioned their hearts alike; he considers all their works. There is no king saved by his great army: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. A horse ****is ****a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver ****any ****by his great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD ****is ****upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD: he ****is ****our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him; because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.'**

"Perhaps this scripture is one for you to think on. I have found that when I am in doubt over some of these small turmoil's I face in life, this brings comfort, because, he knows our sufferings, and can make them lighter, if only we bring them to him. Never allow your pride to keep you from coming into God's presence."

Peter stared at the older man in shock. He remembered how Lucy had told him it was never he who won any battles by himself alone, but by Aslan, always by Aslan. He remembered how Aslan had told him before he left to find Him in this world, and then perhaps his pain would be lighter and his burden less, because he'd given it to Him. This was a single revelation of the many that were to follow in his life.

"Thank-you sir. That is…indeed…something to think on."

"I thought it might. Peter, if ever you have any more questions, you can come to me, I'd be glad to help. Send me a letter a time or two; I'd be interested to know how your walk with God grows." Lewis said, standing along with Peter.

Jack walked him to the door, talking the entire way about life, God, and sometimes politics. Lewis found him to be a smart, upstanding young man. He admired his ability to mask his pain, but he also noticed he had quite a way of speech that was unique for someone his age.

"Well, goodbye sir, I hope to see you again." Peter smiled, shaking Lewis's offered hand as he spoke.

"And I as well. Safe journeys to you!" Lewis called as the blonde young man hurried out into the cold, wintry night.

After closing the door, he strode quickly back to his study. Pulling a writing top out from its place in his desk, he referred to a piece of paper taped to it. Several names were listed on it as follows, though some were crossed out:

_Lucy…Godfries_

_Henderson_

_Dinsmoore_

_Withmoor_

_Dunmire_

_Finchley_

He crossed off "Finchley" as well, writing out beside "Godfries" a new name, "Pevensie" Jack had been inspired by the boy, and wanted to remember him in some way, so, he wrote down his name to try using in his story.

"Lucy Pevensie. That will do. And an older brother, I think. Now, to decide on his name…." He stared off into the room, thinking of his book, of young Mr. Pevensie, and what he was going to say in his lecture the following Monday. "Peter Pevensie, a remarkable young man…"

**{~~~~~~~~~~~~~~}**

**~ Narnia ~**

Caspian met Susan's gaze as he unsheathed his sword. He was still hesitant to use Peter's, the idea of holding the High King's weapon, made for the High King only, frightened him somewhat. It meant carrying a power that he wasn't ready to be responsible for, didn't know how to be – _yet_. He slowly raised the blade, wondering silently if they would live through this battle, or would Verius murder them before the day was out?

"_This isn't for yourself, this is for Narnia, for the Pevensies and everything they loved, and to prove that you are a king worthy of being followed. Fight for Narnia, not you." _ The thought entered his mind as he swung the blade through the air, giving the order to charge.

Susan spurred her mount forward, she did not want to fight, but dying for Narnia was greater than anything she could imagine. As she strung her bow, she recalled what Peter had told her in the days before they left Professor Kirk's house.

"_Think of how blessed we are, that we have something that makes saying goodbye so painful, we have something worth dying for Susan. Not many people ever have that. To be willing to die for something is not an opportunity you find in every life, as much as it hurts when it comes time to say goodbye."_

"As much as it hurts. I understand now Peter." She whispered, releasing the arrow.

The clash of the armies was startling, if you weren't prepared for it. Stallions screamed, challenging one another, like their riders. The zing of arrows, the clash of weapons and men, each fighting for a reason only they could say. Perhaps, some fought because of guilt, some anger, some hate, perhaps most fought because they just did what they were told, and did not care otherwise.

Susan gasped as her stallion crashed into another mount, shrieking defiantly, and eager to rip the young mare to pieces. No matter how many wars she fought riding a war-horse; she would always be startled by their hunger for blood, as if they also wanted to fight the enemy as well. It took all her energy to pull the grey stallion away from the downed beast, keeping him from crushing her into a pulp. She reached for her dagger, as dying soldier had grabbed onto her reins, as if that could stop her. She looked around, in the dusty haze from the over-eager stallions and soldiers; she had lost sight of Caspian.

She looked ahead to where she was galloping headlong, and screamed, they were riding into a "staked coffin" as Peter called the ditches surrounded with stakes that brought rider and horse to a gruesome end. Only Calormen used these contraptions. It was an ordinary ditch, but had stakes embedded on the opposite side. A horse jumped the ditch thinking it could cross safely, and hurtled themselves onto the pointed metal stakes or sharpened wood. She grabbed fistfuls of Glacier's mane along with the reins, and forced him to turn. The stallion shrieked angrily, but turned to her bidding. She did not look back to see who had been so unfortunate to jump. Breathing heavily, she started to kick Glacier back into a gallop, when she heard a voice that sent ice up her spine.

"Well, My Queen, it seems you are alone. You really should have been more careful."

**{~~~~~~~~~}**

Caspian jerked the reins out of the Calormen officer's hands. He grabbed a spear from the back a dead Calormen, and tossed it at another, the man fell with a cry. He looked up at the grey sky, they had perhaps five hours before the sun set and the desert would be covered in darkness. He jumped a fallen horse, looking grim, this was what Verius wanted, he was far from any of his men, and he did not know who to trust of the soldiers he could still see. Suddenly a soldier slammed into his horse.

"You know, most of the time, you were a good King." The man panted, reaching for his bloody dagger. Caspian hardly had time to think before he killed him. Pulling his stallion around, he saw that the man was a Telmarine. _Why_? He did not want to deal with this now. Reining his horse in, he looked around. Had someone called his name, or was he just delirious with the confusion of how to proceed?

**{~~~~~~~~~}**

"Come on Susan, call him, I know he'll come. He'll come to you, call him now!" Verius whispered harshly, yanking her closer. She gasped in pain when he jerked her head back by her hair.

After barely managing to miss the ditch, Verius had ridden up to her, from the Calormen side, several of his Telmarine soldiers with him. After a brief fight, he managed to pull Susan from Glacier. He then taunted her on how perfectly his plan was coming together, but he now wanted Caspian, and she was the only bait he could think of to use.

"Do it, or I kill the Narnians!" He shouted, motioning for some of his men to come forward with their captives. The woman looked at her queen, arms around her children, fear showing in her eyes plainly. Susan couldn't bear to let them be sacrifices for Narnia.

"I will. I'll call him." still the officers came closer to the woman and her children, weapons drawn.

"I said I'll do it, carrion! But only for them!" She shouted angrily, looking at the man with hate.

Verius smacked her across the face. "Don't you ever call me that again, Narnian wretch!" He screamed in rage as she stumbled back, the only thing keeping her standing was his hold on the rope binding her wrists. She nodded numbly. "I knew that gentle nature of yours would win out," he said, changing his attitude instantly.

"Caspian!" She shouted into the haze, realizing that night would soon be falling as the dusty gloom was slowly replaced with fog and colors of sunset.

**{~~~~~~~~}**

Someone _was_ calling him. He stopped again, looking around. It sounded like Susan. The haze cleared for a moment, and he saw her, but a riderless stallion quickly blocked his view. He urged Destrier into a gallop, something seemed off about this.

**{~~~~~~~~}**

Susan looked at the soldiers waiting for the king. "How could you betray him?" she hissed at Verius. "Well, Susan, it was rather easy to make my decision, I just decided which ruler I would rather work alongside, you two or someone who understood what being a Telmarine really was, and I picked the Tisrock. Simple really." He smiled coldly down at her.

"Verius stop; let her go! Or I swear I'll kill you."

Susan turned to look at Caspian. Verius laughed, as if a good joke had been said. Knowing it would only make Caspian angrier, he jerked Susan off balance, causing her to fall.

"There's nothing you can do, _My_ _King_." Verius bowed mockingly, several of his soldiers laughed outright.

"Please, stop Verius; I'll give you half of my kingdom, as long as you don't hurt her." Caspian begged; his eyes on Susan, as Verius dragged her back to her feet.

"You know, I have waited nearly all my life to hear a king beg _me_. I don't want half your kingdom; I could care less, really. What I want is to see you suffer, suffer as my family has for generations!" the Lord's voice rose as he spoke, hatred built up behind it.

"If hurting her and your Narnian subjects is the only way to do so, well…" he smiled sardonically, leaving the sentence unfinished.

"Don't you dare!"

"I'll dare whatever I want. You know, originally, I was just going to kill her, but, she does have this barbaric beauty about her that all her Narnian subjects talk of. So, perhaps her usefulness isn't expired yet." Verius reached over to touch Susan, but she pulled away sharply, outrage in her eyes.

"I can't believe you would have the audacity to imply that!" Susan shouted in anger.

"Quiet Highness!" He raised his hand threateningly. She backed away.

Suddenly she realized what he was doing. He was trying to drive Caspian into making a mistake that would kill him, using her. She remembered Caspian's anger when they were trying to take the castle from Miraz, he had become angry that not only did his uncle betray and try to murder him to get the throne, but he murdered his father. That was what Verius was trying to do, use that anger for his purposes. She was going to disappoint him now.

"Caspian, stop, he's just trying provoke you! Don't let him, as much as it hurts, no hate, that's what he wants! Remember Miraz!" She shouted, before Verius kicked her to the ground. "Silence witch!" He screamed; grabbing her hair again and yanking her back on her feet.

Caspian stopped, her realizations hitting him. Susan smiled at him through her pain. _"No hate. No hate." _She whispered, ignoring the pain in her wrists.

"She's right Verius. What is it you hate? What is the reason? Why me, why her, why Narnia? What have we done, tell us and perhaps we can mend it!"

"It is too late, My King, for reconcile, when only his thirst for blood and his hate are what keep this man going." The fog and smoke seemed to settle around the Stars as they walked up behind Caspian. Verius stared, before catching himself and bluffing a calm demeanor.

"I thought I'd had you killed."

"And yet, here we are." Durken spread his arms wide as he smiled coldly at the man he hated most, motioning to either side of him. A low growl rumbled from the twilight haze, a large black wolf with blue eyes came forward, hackles raised, ready to kill. A golden tiger purred as she came up next to the wolf. The Centaurs came into view, broadswords at the ready. Satyrs and Fauns stood beside them. A Narnian king is never truly alone.

The Narnian army had been standing on a rise, surveying the battle, when they saw Verius carefully separate the king and queen. Glenstorm ordered the charge, and as dusk fell, they descended onto the battlefield. Telmarines were walking, stumbling away from it, but they galloped past the tired, confused warriors onto the bloodstained earth. The king above _all_, must be protected.

"Release Valda, her children, and the Queen of Narnia, now, Verius! I haven't the patience to deal with a vulture like you any longer!" Durken said, raising his voice as he walked closer to the man, sword posed in front of him, ready for whatever the crazed Lord might try to put to them. More wolves poured from the dark, pacing around the group in a circle, growling menacingly if a Telmarine soldier tried coming too close to them.

"Fine. Men! Bring the woman and her useless brats!" He scowled at Durken as the woman and her children were handed over to the Narnians. "I should've killed you when I had the chance. I never liked your stubborn streak."

"Nevertheless, the Queen, or you die!" He walked closer, standing just out of reach. It was Valda who saw the dagger.

"Young sir! Look to his hand!" She cried.

"You will die first for your beloved Narnia!" Verius mocked, shoving Susan away and striking out at Durken with the dagger. The young Star threw up his sword arm, trying to block the outlash. Surprise crossed his face as he pulled back, the dagger embedded in his arm. As most do when in shock, he grabbed the jeweled hilt and pulled it out, grimacing at the pain as he threw it away, watching with delirious fascination as his blood ran down his arm. Almost as fast as the surprise came, it went, and a sharp pain shot up his arm.

Narnian soldiers quickly went into action, Zavala darting over to protect the queen, Glenstorm and several other Centaurs running after the Telmarines. Verius took the opportunity in the midst of the chaos, and fled. A Dryad moved to help Durken, but stepped back, startled, by the color of his blood. Most Healers were used to strange blood colors, as so many mythical Narnians didn't bleed the usual mortal red. But she had never seen anyone in all her born days bleed the color of silver.

"What?" Durken grimaced, placing his hand over the wound.

"I didn't think-a Star-I-" She shrugged, helpless for an explanation and motioned to his arm.

"Ah, right, well, it does take some getting used to." He said as she proceeded to stop the flow of blood, her ruffled expression gone as she turned to her familiar task.

Meanwhile, Caspian ran to Susan. Zavala gave a frustrated snarl when he tried tugging on the rope binding Susan's wrists. "Humans. Why they have to tie and bind everything they catch is beyond me, but I suppose it helps when you are no faster than your prey." He muttered, helping her to a sitting position by allowing her to lean on him.

"Susan, I was so afraid I'd lost you." Caspian said softly, after slicing through the rope with his dagger. She smiled; tears of relief in her eyes.

"Don't say that, don't even think it, we're both still here. We're still here" She whispered, before throwing her arms around his neck and letting her tears fall. They had both been closer to death then either would like to think about.

**{~~~~~~~~~~}**

The Narnian and Telmarine armies stood awkwardly around the campfires, a cautious distance of six feet. Many of those loyal to Verius had fled, leaving the army a small two thousand, compared to the four thousand they'd started with at the beginning of the day. Adding the Narnians though, they were nearly a thousand more strong. But still, numbers do not ease fearful minds. And the Telmarines were still hesitant of inviting the Narnians to join them. Trusting the stories they'd grown up with, instead of the living, breathing, beings just six feet away.

Susan and Caspian sat across the flames from all their soldiers, watching them as they held a whispered conference.

"I don't think they'll work well enough to fight alongside one another tomorrow in battle again." Susan said, watching as a Telmarine wouldn't even cross over to a Narnian to ask for a blanket from the pile next to the Centaur.

"I know, but what other choice do we have? To tell the Narnians they can't fight would insult them, to tell the Telmarines they have to stand next to a Narnian for an entire battle would probably kill most of them." Caspian scowled into the embers.

"Once again, Verius has backed us into a corner. I wish Edmund were here!" Susan said, looking around.

"What would he have done?" Caspian asked, turning to her.

"I don't know, but he was so good at things like this. So much wisdom for one so young." She said absently, tossing a small twig into the fire.

Both jumped when a shout tinged with fear echoed over the camp. "Intruders, coming down the mountain!" Caspian stood, grabbing his broadsword as he and Susan ran to where the young sentry stood, looking nervous; everyone was wound tight because of Verius, and all waited for the man to strike.

The fire alighted on the two figures as they slid and jumped gracefully down the steep mountainside, the warm glow catching the metal of their weapons. Something stuck the two monarchs as familiar about them, but it wasn't until they came closer before they were truly sure.

"Peace, rulers of Narnia. We have come to help." The hooded maroon figure said calmly as they approached. Turning down her hood, Serene gazed at them with a fiercely determined expression. She was going to help Narnia, and nothing would stop her.

"In the name of Aslan." The second said, removing his hood. Susan and Caspian instantly recognized the dark hair and easy smile. Daniel.

"What do you think you can offer us besides giving your lives for a cause already deemed suicidal?" Caspian asked, his eyebrows rose skeptically as he spoke.

"Watch, My King." Serene stepped toward the fires, several soldiers scattering at her approach. Daniel just grinned when they looked at him in puzzlement.

"Stand back!" She shouted, raising her arms when she finally stood between the two fires. Suddenly a deep roar filled the night. The flames exploded outwards and upwards, roaring in a heated fury. Flicking her hands, the flames spread out around the observers, licking at the dry grass hungrily, at the command of the Narnian Enchantress. As if she was smoothing a yard of fabric on a table in front of her, she motioned again. "Enough!" She cried, and the fires returned to their original places.

"Perhaps these gifts my son and I possess could be a valuable asset in your battle against a certain traitor?" She said smiling now as she walked back to them. "Oh, and them?" She added, pointing behind the group of onlookers. All the officers along with Susan and Caspian turned to see what she was pointing at. The ground shook slightly as Grimspar landed in front of them, thousands of Griffins perched on the mountainside, watching silently, their eyes glowing, reflecting the flame of the campfire, and the fire that burned inside them. "Lady Serene persuaded us to fight with you, and so here we are." Grimspar said, nodding to the monarchs.

Caspian smiled at Susan, remembering their conversation on the mountain. _"Perhaps something that hates Calormen, and prefers Narnia?" _

"You may gladly join us." Susan said, looking around at all the Narnians willing to fight and die for Narnia. It surprised her every time, how willing these creatures were to die for someone they couldn't see, and yet believed with all their heart.

"For Aslan!" The Griffon shrieked, opening his wings and springing into the sky.

"You have all of old Narnia now behind you, My King, you cannot possibly fail with these." Serene said, bowing, all the Narnians followed suit.

Morning would come soon, and with it the fate of all Narnia and her loyal people, but there was hope now, an ember slowly being fanned into a flame, Narnia would not rest until she proved to the world that Aslan was greater than everything thrown at them. Evil, greed, betrayal, and hate could not stop hearts fighting for a cause as noble and just as this.

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><p><strong>AN: **

**Many thanks to MistyCharming for reviewing, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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><p><strong>Well, all the Narnian characters are together again! Whew! That makes my job a whole lot easier now! There are several things I want to address in this AN. First one is: **

**1. It's been two years since the Pevensies came back to help Caspian. **

**2. Everything Peter learns about God/Aslan is what I also discover when I read my Bible. I myself am finding strong ties between the Narnian books and the Bible. **

**3. Serene has greater magic than a typical enchantress, as she was given this magic directly from Aslan, and wasn't born with it, so pretty much whatever you can think of, she can do. {Daniel too, can't forget him!}**

**4. I do not know if Stars really bleed silver blood, but in every book with Stars, it talks about how everything about them is pale/white/silver, so why not blood as well? Personal theory of mine.**

**5. If you don't understand my version of the Narnian world, I'll be posting some stuff to help ya'll out on my Profile, so perhaps that will help the confusion! **

**6. The scripture verse can be found in Psalm 33:13 for all those wanting to look it up or know. **

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><p><strong>Now, on to details of this chapter. <strong>

**I do not know how C.S. Lewis might act or tell someone about God, so again, I'm using my Dad's character for that.**

**I know, not much of Edmund or Lucy, but in the last coming chapter they all shall receive large parts, don't worry. **

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><p><strong>Now, I bet a bunch of you are wondering: "Why is she making Caspian out to be so uneasynervous about entering this war?" I shall explain as follows:**

**1. This is a battle he doesn't feel like he really needs/wants to fight. **

**2. He is the only one to come to for advice, besides Susan, {who never really dealt with battles} because he's the king, and he can't trust anyone. Peter and Edmund aren't there to ask questions of now. **

**3. In the battle with the four, he was angry because of everything Miraz had taken, and still thought he could from him, so it was more emotional, {not to sound girlish or wimpy, nothing like that} but he fought that battle for a reason he had clearly lined out in his mind, this one, everything is slightly fuzzy. **

**4. This battle he has everything to lose, his subjects' loyalty, his throne, and his life, stakes are higher than the last war he fought, where it was only the idea of being defeated and living like outlaws in the forest he and the Narnians faced. Now is the problem of being entirely wiped out by Calormen.**

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><p><strong>My favorite part from the last chapter is the beginning, where Edmund moans about going to spend Holidays with Eustace, and the fact the he's "Checked every wardrobe he's come across and none of them are magical." or something along those lines. <strong>

**This chapter, I think my favorite part was Peter talking with Lewis, his creator, I like scenarios like that, they're neat. **

**I don't think I have to explain the titling of this chapter, do I? Well and good. **

**in the next/last, {I think} chapter, the climax ends, and everyone can breathe again. **

**Also, I bet some of you were wondering where Reepicheep and Trufflehunter. I'll get to that in the last chapter. I promise! **

**{And yes, Zavala has a black coat and blue eyes. His character will come up in later stories, so don't forget him.} **

**I made up "staked coffins" I can't recall the real name, so I just picked one out of the hat, so-to-speak.**

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><p><strong>ILoveFanfiction; You wish for me to have Susan tell Caspian about that strand of grey? Well, I'll see what I can do. I can betcha that it will come up...<strong>

**I'm so glad you got the movie! **

**And thanks for the review, I'm glad you liked it! ~ W.H.1492 **

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><p><span><strong>Acknowledgments:<strong>

**Bekah, ILoveFanfiction, this story is for you guys and my family. **

**Bekah, because you were the first to review, you made me keep up writing. You inspired me to do the best, even when I was feeling down. **

**ILoveFanfiction, because your sparky good humor and excitement for updates encouraged me to be consistent with UD's. **

**To my family, because so many of their personality traits are in so many of my Narnian characters. They planted the Narnian seed inside me, and it grew to love everything Narnian. **

**To C.S. Lewis, the man behind Narnia, I don't know what I'd be doing right now if he hadn't thought to write these books. **

**To the Pevensies; Peter, because I know what it's like to be responsible for your younger siblings, it is a great responsibility indeed; Susan, because I too, have been afraid; Edmund, because I was lost in darkness, but I found the Great Light; and to Lucy, because I am also the one who simply believes, even when there is no _logical_ explanation. **

**Finally, to everything I've lost, and everything I've yet to find. Every downfall, and every time I stood up and dusted myself off, looking up to God and saying, "Well, now what?" after a terrible loss. These things broke me, but they mended me too, our faults and our imperfections are what makes us perfect, because, with God covering us, picking us back up and dusting us off, saying; "I'm here to help, lean on me." we really _are_ perfect. {but only through him can we ever truly become so.} **

**Even when things are tough, we shouldn't question God, because: "A teacher is always quiet during a test." **

**~ Wildhorses1492, a Narnian even though there isn't any Narnia, and a _Believer._ **


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